A primer on the cost of quality for improvement of laboratory and pathology specimen processes.
In today's environment, many laboratories and pathology practices are challenged to maintain or increase their quality while simultaneously lowering their overall costs. The cost of improving specimen processes is related to quality, and we demonstrate that actual costs can be reduced by designing "quality at the source" into the processes. Various costs are hidden along the total testing process, and we suggest ways to identify opportunities to reduce cost by improving quality in laboratories and pathology practices through the use of Lean, Six Sigma, and industrial engineering.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Richard O
RO
Carlson
Fazlollaah
F
Amirahmadi
James S
JS
Hernandez
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D010336:Pathology / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D011786:Quality Control; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000191:economics*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000191:economics*