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Implementation of a customized specimen collection module led to a significant reduction in preanalytical errors. Improved compliance with the system may lead to further reductions in error rates.

Context.-Short patient wait times are critical for patient satisfaction with outpatient phlebotomy services. Although increasing phlebotomy staffing is a direct way to improve wait times, it may not be feasible or appropriate in many settings, particularly in the context of current economic pressures in health care.Objective.-To effect sustainable reductions in patient wait times, we created a simple, data-driven tool to systematically optimize staffing across our 14 phlebotomy sites with varying patient populations, scope of service, capacity, and process workflows.Design.-We used staffing levels and patient venipuncture volumes to derive the estimated capacity, a parameter that helps predict the number of patients a location can accommodate per unit of time. We then used this parameter to determine whether a particular phlebotomy site was overstaffed, adequately staffed, or understaffed.Patient wait-time and satisfaction data were collected to assess the efficacy and accuracy of the staffing tool after implementing the staffing changes.Results.-In this article, we present the applications of our approach in 1 overstaffed and 2 understaffed phlebotomy sites. After staffing changes at previously understaffed sites, the percentage of patients waiting less than 10 minutes ranged from 88% to 100%. At our previously overstaffed site, we maintained our goal of 90% of patients waiting less than 10 minutes despite staffing reductions. All staffing changes were made using existing resources.Conclusions.-Used in conjunction with patient waittime and satisfaction data, our outpatient phlebotomy staffing tool is an accurate and flexible way to assess capacity and to improve patient wait times.(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014;138:929-935; doi: 10.5858/ arpa.2013-0450-OA) S everal studies have shown that patient wait times have a significant influence on patient satisfaction in the outpatient phlebotomy setting.1-3 A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes study involving 29 467 outpatients from 540 institutions showed that increased patient wait time for phlebotomy services was significantly correlated with lower patient satisfaction with the phlebotomy procedure. 4 When using outpatient phlebotomy services at our institution, patients follow a multistep process that includes checking in with their requisition form, entering their name and arrival time into a log book, and waiting to be called in. Likewise, phlebotomists must perform a series of tasks before seeing the patient, including entering providers' orders into the laboratory information system and printing out specimen labels (Figure 1). Inadequate phlebotomy staffing could increase patient wait time and decrease patient satisfaction. Although increasing staffing levels is the most direct way to improve patient wait times, it may not be feasible or appropriate in many settings, particularly in the context of current economic pressures in health care.In recent decades, many clinical laboratories have introduced Lean and Six Sigma process improvement principles.2,5-7 Sev...

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