In US, a Major Hospital Chain’s department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, which collects and analyzes patient specimens in specialized laboratories, needed to improve processes to meet the demands presented by the hospital’s growth. Specifically, the department sought to improve its data analysis and operational management processes. Our Business Intelligence team with its health care experts analyzed and produced a solution as a result of which the department has gained more insight into its data and has automated reporting processes, which has helped reduce laboratory result turnaround times by 50 percent. Department employees have improved communication, and supervisors can manage more effectively.
Scenario
Each year, the Hospital accepts approximately 25,000 inpatient admissions, 80,000 Emergency department visits, and more than 1,000,000 outpatient visits. All of these patients require laboratory testing, which is provided by the Hospital’s department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. More than 300 technologists and pathologists in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine work in specialized labs, where they annually collect and process more than 1 million blood samples and urine specimens.
For the past several years, the Hospital has experienced a major increase in patients. In fact, the number of specimens collected and analyzed by Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has doubled.
As good as this system was at collecting data, it was very limited in its ability to turn that data into actionable business intelligence.
The specimen collection processes presented another challenge. Everything used to be done manually. This made it difficult to get accurate report data, and department supervisors lacked the ability to track employee performance and determine accountability.
In order to resolve these operational road-blocks, the Hospital’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine department sought to improve data analysis and lab processes.
Solution
The solution uses integrated technologies that help organizations streamline the process of organizing and distributing data. This was done using a Cognos 8.0 reporting tool.
There was variation in the way specimens were handled in every step, from doctor’s orders to results in the chart. Some were put together in batches, some were handled individually. The compounding effect of variation in every step and every handoff injected avoidable delay throughout the process. Our solution was to drive out variation as it occurred through the use of business intelligence and active process management.
The new solution included enhanced analysis and reporting elements. For example, specimen data is now extracted from the department’s lab information system and sent to a database. There, technologists and pathologists process and analyze the data using the business intelligence features in Cognos reporting tool and mappings were done using Cognos Framework manager.
This information is arranged in scorecards, which gives employees a fast, easy way to access cycle time performance; identify and circumvent delays in turnaround time; quantify team performance and productivity; and make the department’s performance more consistent and reliable.
Benefits
With its new business intelligence solution, The Hospital’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has been able to transform its lab management processes and systems. The department has more useful data and automated operational processes, both of which have led to greatly reduced lab result turnaround times. Additionally, department employees can communicate better, and supervisors can manage employees more effectively.
More Useful Data
The Hospital’s Pathology and Laboratory Medicine now has a solution that delivers real-time operational data and reports to 100 technologists and pathologists. Most importantly, this data is based on detailed business intelligence that is highly useful to the department.
The new system is also easy for employees to use, because it is partially based on Office Excel, a program they were already familiar with. Because of that familiarity, employees can easily extract and use the data they need.
Better Communication
Because they now have an easy-to-use software solution that delivers useful data, technologists and pathologists can communicate better with one another and with supervisors.
More Effective Employee Management
Using new management tools and automated processes, these supervisors can be more effective in managing technologists and pathologists. This new insight means that supervisors can hold employees accountable for performance, which helps make the department more effective as a whole.
