Abstract
In Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the laboratory TAT is significantly very long and do not comply with either international standards or the suggestions of customers. However, there is neither a national nor a local strategy to improve the laboratory TAT. The aim of the present study is to develop practical management strategies to shorten clinical laboratory tests’ TAT. This was a qualitative study conducted in Kinshasa. Focus groups and Lean tools were used respectively to generate a wide range of views from a variety of laboratory staff and to eliminate several form of waste in the laboratory flow process. Based on the identified root causes of delay, focus groups participants reported that there is a lot of scope for the improvement of TAT in DRC. Consistent attendance and punctuality are essential. The hospital management should implement the Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) and install Middleware. Total laboratory automation, inventory system for all reagents and supplies used in the laboratory, expansion of the sampling area, sufficient number of high-power machine and a clear job description are indispensable. LIS, 3.5 mL BD vacutainer BarricorTM tube and point-of-care testing (POCT) are necessary for workflow improvement. A reduction of 312 minutes was achieved by eliminating or decreasing non-value-added activities. Applying the suggested key strategies, and particularly the new workflow process, is a basis for improving the laboratory tests’ TAT. The algorithm presented can be easily implemented in other laboratories that face this type of problem.
Highlights
The word quality has many meanings, but basically, it refers to the set of inherent properties of an object that allows satisfying stated or implied needs
It was determined that 62% (312 minutes out of 503 minutes) of the intra-laboratory overall mean turnaround time (TAT) was spent in non-value-added activities, which are patient reception, sample assemblage and Result reporting
When faced with the challenge of improving TAT within the clinical laboratory, focus groups interview were conducted involving policy elites who had previously participated in decision-making processes for health policy
Summary
The word quality has many meanings, but basically, it refers to the set of inherent properties of an object that allows satisfying stated or implied needs. According to Bergman and Klefsjö, quality means to satisfy, and preferably exceed, the needs and expectations of the customers [1]. When expectations are perfectly aligned with perception, service quality occurs [3]. Quality means those features of products/services, which meet customer needs and thereby provide customer satisfaction [4]. Quality is defined by Wicks and Roethlein as the summation of the affective evaluations by each customer of each attitude object that creates customer satisfaction [6]. As Robert Cole said, “total quality means completely satisfying customers on the full range of product and service needs. In accordance with all the above definitions of quality, we can conclude that quality means “customer satisfaction” i.e. “conformance to customer requirements” [4]
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