Growing test volumes and an increasingly complex healthcare ecosystem are creating new challenges for laboratories around the world. In turn, innovative solutions that drive operational excellence and the productivity, efficiency, and flexibility contributing to it are becoming more important than ever to meet health system needs.
That’s why in this issue, we’re focusing on revealing the untapped value that smarter assay and instrument design can bring to a laboratory’s operations through improved productivity and new opportunities for sustainable growth.
We begin with a recent webinar led by Kimia Sobhani, Ph.D., from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who provides her perspective on how biotin interference not only can impact patient test results but overall laboratory efficiency. To explain more about assay productivity, we sat down with James Westgard and Sten Westgard to discuss the Six Sigma approach to optimizing quality, minimizing error, and increasing efficiency. We’ve also included a case study from Medic-Lab in Vietnam, whose focus on high-performing Six Sigma assays helped them to improve operations by utilizing staff better and reducing turnaround times. Finally, we talked with Abbott’s human factors team members to learn how they collaborate with laboratorians to optimize performance and workflow.
As with every issue of Healthcare Catalyst, our goal is to help you better understand opportunities to improve and grow your lab and healthcare institution.
