Externalities of Lean Implementation in Medical Laboratories. Process Optimization vs. Adaptation and Flexibility for the Future

Abstract

Important in testing services in medical laboratories is the creation of a flexible balance between quality-response time and minimizing the cost of the service. Beyond the different Lean methods implemented so far in the medical sector, each company can adapt the model according to its needs, each company has its own specifics and organizational culture, and Lean implementation will have a unique approach. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the concerns of specialists and laboratory medical services sector initiatives in optimizing medical services by implementing the Lean Six Sigma method in its various variants: a comparative analysis of the implemented models, with emphasis on measuring externalities and delimiting trends in reforming/modernizing the method, a comprehensive approach to the impact of this method implementation, and an analysis of available databases in order to underline the deficit and information asymmetry. The results highlighted that in the case of clinical laboratories, the Lean Six Sigma method is conducive to a reduction of cases of diagnostic errors and saves time but also faces challenges and employees’ resistance in implementation.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma Approach for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Turnaround Time (TAT) Improvement at a Hospital-Based Tertiary Laboratory

“…The study results are comparable with other studies, where a significant positive change in TAT was observed after initiating and implementing the Lean process throughout their laboratory. 2,5,6 However, the impact of the Lean Six Sigma on TAT was reduced due to the significant drop in the number of samples received post implementation.…”

“…Since the late 1990s, the application of LSS in the manufacturing industry has come a long way. 1,2 Six Sigma is a quality management strategy that makes efforts to improve the quality of processes, utilizing the DMAIC process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). 3 The "Lean" concept, on the other hand, is also a powerful quality-improvement tool that focuses on providing "value" and improving performance by systematically eliminating waste or non-value-added activities, from the process.…”

Reducing turnaround time in a pathology laboratory using the lean methodology

“…The demand continues to grow year on year both in volume and complexity as populations age and the healthcare becomes ever more sophisticated (Knowles and Barnes, 2013). They are expected to promptly deliver highly reliable data and results and give accurate input for timely disease diagnosis, prevention and health control (Apostu et al , 2021). To achieve this goal, laboratories must establish and maintain quality in all laboratory processes, while focusing on cost effectiveness (Inal et al , 2018).…”

“…Studies in pathology laboratories have generally focused on reducing errors, preventing wastage of motion and improving turnaround time (Zarbo and D’Angelo, 2007; Raab et al , 2008; Hayes et al , 2014; Sugianto et al , 2015). Turnaround time is one of the most significant measures of performance and quality for the pathology laboratory (Apostu et al , 2021). It is defined as the length of time from the moment a test is ordered or the specimen is received at the laboratory to the time when the result is reported to the clinician (Dey et al , 2013; Isack et al , 2018).…”

Управління Цифровими Даними В Патології

“…Не зважаючи на наявність певних труднощів, зазначені переваги, дозволяють заглянути в майбутнє цифрової патології [16,19,20,27,28,32]. Тенденції управління цифровими даними в патології пов'язані з розвитком програмного та апаратного забезпечення цифровізації, зокрема інструментів аналізу зображень (збільшення пропускної здатності та зменшення варіативності), емуляції діагностичної процедури, управлінням значними об'ємами зображень високої роздільної здатності, взаємопов'язаними конвеєрами аналізу…”