Analytical Turnaround Time Research Articles

The Modern Pneumatic Tube System Transports with Reduced Speed Does Not Affect Special Coagulation Tests.

Pneumatic tube transport systems (PTS) for delivery of patient samples to a hemostasis laboratory are often used to reduce turnaround time for vital analyses. PTS in our hospital has the ability to regulate the transport speed in the range of 3-6m/s with acceleration control technology. We evaluated the effects of PTS transport for routine coagulation tests, platelet function tests and special global coagulation tests. Duplicate samples were collected from 29 patients and 40 healthy individuals. One sample was sent using PTS and the other was carried by personnel to the lab for determination of protrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, trombin time, fibrinogen, antitrombin and thrombin generation test. Platelet function was measured by means of a Apact 4004® analyzer using the inductors (ADP, Arachidonic acid and Epinephrine). Samples transported using PTS with normal transport speed 6m/s does not affect basic coagulation tests (PT, aPTT, FIB, TT and AT), but TGT has significantly altered. The use of PTS with controlled acceleration regulated the increase in thrombin generation from 10% to 3%, which is not statistically signifiant. The use of PTS with controlled acceleration did not show a significant difference even with the highly sensitive method of platelet aggregation. We conclude that PTS with acceleration control with transport speed from 3 to 6m/s does not affect to platelet activity as measured by LTA and also global coagulation test - TGT. The advantage of PTS transport is very rapid assessment laboratory testing. From the above validation study, it is clear that PTS should always be validated for specialized laboratory methods and appropriately adapted to specific transport conditions.

Addressing the instability issue of dopamine during microdialysis: the determination of dopamine, serotonin, methamphetamine and its metabolites in rat brain.

Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter that degrades rapidly in aqueous solutions; hence, its analysis following brain microdialysis is challenging. The aim of the current study was to develop and validate a new microdialysis coupled LC-MS/MS system with improved accuracy, precision, simplicity and turnaround time for dopamine, serotonin, methamphetamine, amphetamine, 4-hydroxymethamphetamine and 4-hydroxyamphetamine analysis in the brain. Dopamine degradation was studied with different stabilizing agents under different storage conditions. The modified microdialysis system was tested in vitro, and was optimized for best probe recovery, assessed by %gain. LC-MS/MS assay was developed and validated for the targeted compounds. Stabilizing agents (ascorbic acid, EDTA and acetic acid) as well as internal and cold standards were added on-line to the dialysate flow. Assay linearity range was 0.01-100ng/mL, precision and accuracy passed criteria, and LOQ and LLOQ were 0.2 and 1.0 pg, respectively. The new microdialysis coupled LC-MS/MS system was used in Wistar rats striatum after 4mg/kg subcutaneous methamphetamine. Methamphetamine rapidly distributed to rat striatum reaching an average ~200ng/mL maximum, ~82.5min post-dose. Amphetamine, followed by 4-hydroxymethamphetamine, was the most abundant metabolite. Dopamine was released following methamphetamine injection, while serotonin was not altered. In conclusion, we proposed and tested an innovative and simplified solution to improve stability, accuracy and turnover time to monitor unstable molecules, such as dopamine, by microdialysis.

Turnaround time for common clinical chemistry examinations and root cause analysis for its delay

Objectives: Measurement of turnaround time for common clinical chemistry examinations and performing root cause analysis for causes for inadequate turnaround time for examinations. Materials and Methods: The Turnaround Times (TAT) of common biochemistry tests ordered by physicians for OPD, IPD and ICU patients were evaluated. Various time periods were recorded, calculated and evaluated. Root cause analysis for delay in TAT was performed by Ishikawa fishbone method. Results and Conclusions: The study shows that average TAT for OPD patients was 22-23 hours, for indoor patient was 6-7 hours and for ICU patient was 7-8 hours. There was major contribution of report transport system in the total TAT, while actual analytical TAT contributed very small to over all TAT. The study shows that, lack of efficient sample and report transport, lack of man power and lack of electronic transport of report is root cause of delay in TAT. Keywords: Turnaround time, Root cause analysis, Ishikawa fishbone method.

Detection of Actionable BCR-ABL1 Kinase Domain (KD) Mutations in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Patients with Failure and Warning Response to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs): Potential Impact of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) on Clinical Decision Making

Detection of Actionable BCR-ABL1 Kinase Domain (KD) Mutations in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Patients with Failure and Warning Response to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs): Potential Impact of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) on Clinical Decision Making

Increased effectiveness of urinalysis testing via the integration of automated instrumentation, the lean management approach, and autoverification

BackgroundIn 2014, the Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand developed and implemented a new process that uses fully automated instrumentation, the lean management approach, and autoverification to improve the productivity and efficiency of the urinalysis workflow process. The aim of this study was to evaluate analytical turnaround time compared with our old urinalysis workflow process and our new urinalysis workflow process that was launched in 2014.MethodsThis study was performed at the Central Laboratory of our center during June 2017 using data collected from the July 2012 (old process) and July 2014 (new process) study periods. We used our laboratory information system to compute and analyze turnaround time of urinalysis tests, and those results were compared between processes.ResultsThe 90th percentile turnaround time in overall data was dramatically decreased from approximately 60 minutes in 2012 to <50 minutes in 2014. The mean during both 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 9:00 am to 12:00 pm was approximately 42 minutes in 2012; however, that duration was reduced to approximately 30 minutes for both of those time periods in 2014. Specimens within 60 minutes in both intervals increase from approximately 80% to more than 90%.ConclusionThe results of this study revealed our new urinalysis workflow process that incorporates fully automated instrumentation, the lean management approach, and autoverification to be effective for significantly increasing productivity as measured by analytical turnaround time and removing 1 staff to another section.

Cholylglycine determination by an automated chemiluminescence immunoassay: preliminary results in the intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Background: One of the most frequent reasons to determine total bile acids (TBA) in a routine laboratory is for the diagnosis and management of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). The analytical methods that can be carried out for TBA determination are enzymatic and immunometric methods. However, the enzymatic methods suffer of significant cross-reactivity with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), the principal drug administered in the ICP management. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the clinical utility of a new fully-automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) to measure cholylglycine (CG) in the ICP. Methods: Two cohorts of patients with a singleton pregnancy, in the third trimester, were retrospectively recruited. The first cohort (controls, n=56, 21–48 years) was represented by patient hospitalized, for a different reason respect to ICP. The second cohort (ICP women, n=32, 22–45 years) was composed of women with a final diagnosis of ICP, before the treatment with UDCA. Results: Intra-assay and intra-laboratory imprecisions were less than 6%. The 95% CI of CG in the control cohort were 0.9–9.1 µmol/L. The levels of CG in the ICP women cohort ranged from 2.3 to 57.4 µmol/L. The optimal cut-off of CG for ICP was 5.5 µmol/L (sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 92%). Conclusions: CG determination by CLIA method has demonstrated a reliability from the analytical point of view. The obtained diagnostic accuracy for ICP was similar to the traditional assays carried out for TBA determination. Moreover, the turnaround time of CG analysis allows a rapidly answer to clinical suspects of cholestasis in pregnancies ensuring the patient-foetus safety.

Integrated Extreme Real-Time PCR and High-Speed Melting Analysis in 52 to 87 Seconds.

Extreme PCR in <30 s and high-speed melting of PCR products in <5 s are recent advances in the turnaround time of DNA analysis. Previously, these steps had been performed on different specialized instruments. Integration of both extreme PCR and high-speed melting with real-time fluorescence monitoring for detection and genotyping is presented here. A microfluidic platform was enhanced for speed using cycle times as fast as 1.05 s between 66.4 °C and 93.7 °C, with end point melting rates of 8 °C/s. Primer and polymerase concentrations were increased to allow short cycle times. Synthetic sequences were used to amplify fragments of hepatitis B virus (70 bp) and Clostridium difficile (83 bp) by real-time PCR and high-speed melting on the same instrument. A blinded genotyping study of 30 human genomic samples at F2 c.*97, F5 c.1601, MTHFR c.665, and MTHFR c.1286 was also performed. Standard rapid-cycle PCR chemistry did not produce any product when total cycling times were reduced to <1 min. However, efficient amplification was possible with increased primer (5 μmol/L) and polymerase (0.45 U/μL) concentrations. Infectious targets were amplified and identified in 52 to 71 s. Real-time PCR and genotyping of single-nucleotide variants from human DNA was achieved in 75 to 87 s and was 100% concordant to known genotypes. Extreme PCR with high-speed melting can be performed in about 1 min. The integration of extreme PCR and high-speed melting shows that future molecular assays at the point of care for identification, quantification, and variant typing are feasible.

SwissMTB: establishing comprehensive molecular cancer diagnostics in Swiss clinics

BackgroundMolecular precision oncology is an emerging practice to improve cancer therapy by decreasing the risk of choosing treatments that lack efficacy or cause adverse events. However, the challenges of integrating molecular profiling into routine clinical care are manifold. From a computational perspective these include the importance of a short analysis turnaround time, the interpretation of complex drug-gene and gene-gene interactions, and the necessity of standardized high-quality workflows. In addition, difficulties faced when integrating molecular diagnostics into clinical practice are ethical concerns, legal requirements, and limited availability of treatment options beyond standard of care as well as the overall lack of awareness of their existence.MethodsTo the best of our knowledge, we are the first group in Switzerland that established a workflow for personalized diagnostics based on comprehensive high-throughput sequencing of tumors at the clinic. Our workflow, named SwissMTB (Swiss Molecular Tumor Board), links genetic tumor alterations and gene expression to therapeutic options and clinical trial opportunities. The resulting treatment recommendations are summarized in a clinical report and discussed in a molecular tumor board at the clinic to support therapy decisions.ResultsHere we present results from an observational pilot study including 22 late-stage cancer patients. In this study we were able to identify actionable variants and corresponding therapies for 19 patients. Half of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. In two patients we identified resistance-associated variants explaining lack of therapy response. For five out of eleven patients analyzed before treatment the SwissMTB diagnostic influenced treatment decision.ConclusionsSwissMTB enables the analysis and clinical interpretation of large numbers of potentially actionable molecular targets. Thus, our workflow paves the way towards a more frequent use of comprehensive molecular diagnostics in Swiss hospitals.

TAP: a targeted clinical genomics pipeline for detecting transcript variants using RNA-seq data

BackgroundRNA-seq is a powerful and cost-effective technology for molecular diagnostics of cancer and other diseases, and it can reach its full potential when coupled with validated clinical-grade informatics tools. Despite recent advances in long-read sequencing, transcriptome assembly of short reads remains a useful and cost-effective methodology for unveiling transcript-level rearrangements and novel isoforms. One of the major concerns for adopting the proven de novo assembly approach for RNA-seq data in clinical settings has been the analysis turnaround time. To address this concern, we have developed a targeted approach to expedite assembly and analysis of RNA-seq data.ResultsHere we present our Targeted Assembly Pipeline (TAP), which consists of four stages: 1) alignment-free gene-level classification of RNA-seq reads using BioBloomTools, 2) de novo assembly of individual targets using Trans-ABySS, 3) alignment of assembled contigs to the reference genome and transcriptome with GMAP and BWA and 4) structural and splicing variant detection using PAVFinder. We show that PAVFinder is a robust gene fusion detection tool when compared to established methods such as Tophat-Fusion and deFuse on simulated data of 448 events. Using the Leucegene acute myeloid leukemia (AML) RNA-seq data and a set of 580 COSMIC target genes, TAP identified a wide range of hallmark molecular anomalies including gene fusions, tandem duplications, insertions and deletions in agreement with published literature results. Moreover, also in this dataset, TAP captured AML-specific splicing variants such as skipped exons and novel splice sites reported in studies elsewhere. Running time of TAP on 100–150 million read pairs and a 580-gene set is one to 2 hours on a 48-core machine.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that TAP is a fast and robust RNA-seq variant detection pipeline that is potentially amenable to clinical applications. TAP is available at http://www.bcgsc.ca/platform/bioinfo/software/pavfinder

Flow cytometry shows added value in diagnosing lymphoma in brain biopsies

BackgroundTo assess the sensitivity, specificity and turnaround time of flow cytometric analysis on brain biopsies compared to histology plus immunohistochemistry analysis in tumors with clinical suspicion of lymphoma.MethodsAll brain biopsies performed between 2010 and 2015 at our institution and analyzed by both immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were included in this retrospective study. Immunohistochemistry was considered the gold standard.ResultsIn a total of 77 biopsies from 71 patients, 49 lymphomas were diagnosed by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry results were concordant in 71 biopsies (92.2%). We found a specificity and sensitivity of flow cytometry of 100% and 87.8%, respectively. The time between the biopsy and reporting the result (turnaround time) was significantly shorter for flow cytometry, compared to immunohistochemistry (median: 1 vs. 5 days).ConclusionsFlow cytometry has a high specificity and can confirm the diagnosis of a lymphoma significantly faster than immunohistochemistry. This allows for rapid initiation of treatment in this highly aggressive tumor. However, since its sensitivity is less than 100%, we recommend to perform histology plus immunohistochemistry in parallel to flow cytometry. © 2018 The Authors. Cytometry Part B: Clinical Cytometry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Clinical Cytometry Society

Sequential Bayesian Approach for Rapid and Accurate Diagnosis of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Prospective Derivation and Validation Study with 826 Patients

Introduction. Prompt diagnostic work-up is critical for guiding clinical management of patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). We assessed the diagnostic performance of three immunoassays detecting anti-PF4/heparin-antibodies in predicting the outcome of the functional gold standard HIPA assay. We derived a diagnostic algorithm with a short analytical turnaround-time (TAT) and prospectively validated its accuracy to rule in or rule out HIT. Methods. Retrospective (n=221, 5.2014-8.2015) and prospective (n=305, 9.2015-12.2016) derivation cohorts of patients with suspected HIT were studied. Plasma samples were analysed by Zymutest-HIA-IgG, HemosIL-AcuStar-HIT-IgG and ID-H/PF4-PaGIA. Likelihood ratios (LR) of result intervals and cut-off values with 100% negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive value for positive HIPA were calculated. A sequential diagnostic algorithm based on Bayesian combination of pretest clinical probability and LR of first- and second-line testing by rapid immunoassays was derived and prospectively validated (n=300, 1.2017-6.2018). Results. Derivation cohorts allowed to calculate LR and cut-offs with 100% NPV ( 3.0 U/ml; ≥16, respectively) for positive HIPA. During prospective validation of the derived diagnostic algorithm, AcuStar-HIT-IgG was used as first-line and unique testing in 242/300 cases (80.7%) (TAT 30 min). In 58/300 initially unresolved cases (19.3%), ID-H/PF4-PaGIA was used as second-line testing (additional TAT 30 min). This combined approach accurately ruled in and ruled out HIT in 28/300 (9.3%) and 263/300 (87.7%) patients with clinically suspected HIT, respectively. Only 9/300 (3.0%) cases remained unresolved. The algorithm identified 3/300 (1.0%) patients with probable HIT despite a negative HIPA. Conclusion. The stepwise combination of pretest HIT clinical probability with first- and second-line testing by rapid immunoassays for anti-PF4/heparin-antibodies is accurate for ruling in or ruling out HIT in ≥95% of cases with an analytical TAT of 60 minutes. This sequential diagnostic approach improves clinical management of patients with suspected HIT. Funding: None. Declaration of Interest: The authors do not have any conflicts of interest to declare. Ethical Approval: The study was approved by the Institutional ethical board (Commission cantonale Vaudoise d’ethique de la recherche sur l’etre humain, CER-VD, protocol number 497/95). Patient informed consent was not required for this quality control assessment of clinical laboratory practice.

LiveKraken--real-time metagenomic classification of illumina data.

In metagenomics, Kraken is one of the most widely used tools due to its robustness and speed. Yet, the overall turnaround time of metagenomic analysis is hampered by the sequential paradigm of wet and dry lab. In urgent experiments, it can be crucial to gain a timely insight into a dataset. Here, we present LiveKraken, a real-time read classification tool based on the core algorithm of Kraken. LiveKraken uses streams of raw data from Illumina sequencers to classify reads taxonomically. This way, we are able to produce results identical to those of Kraken the moment the sequencer finishes. We are furthermore able to provide comparable results in early stages of a sequencing run, allowing saving up to a week of sequencing time on an Illumina HiSeq in High Throughput Mode. While the number of classified reads grows over time, false classifications appear in negligible numbers and proportions of identified taxa are only affected to a minor extent. LiveKraken is available at https://gitlab.com/rki_bioinformatics/LiveKraken. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Analysis of Turnaround Time during Casefile and Sample Processing in Forensic Science Laboratory

Turnaround time (TAT), is the total time interval from when a request for forensic laboratory analysis is received until when the results are collected by the client. The performance of the forensic science laboratory (FSL) is affected by extended TAT in the case-file and sample processing steps necessitating critical analysis reported in this paper. The total TAT was obtained as the sum of measured time interval for each work station (six of which were studied). Extended TAT leads not only to customer complaints, but also paves way for customers to seek for services from competitors, leading to lost competitive edge for the FSL. This study was conducted to establish the baseline data on TAT (between 2014 and 2015) to enable implementation of corrective actions. Six casefile processing steps were identified for which starting and completion times were recorded in dates, giving TAT values in days. The TAT data for each step was collected as each case file is processed and analyzed separately using statistical analysis while comparing the data for the two years (Y2014 and Y2015) and among three forensic science laboratory disciplines (biology/DNA, chemistry and toxicology). The overall turnaround time (TTAT) was the highest for forensic biology/DNA compared to forensic toxicology and chemistry. The analysis time (TAT2) was the longest of all six case-file processing steps. Using Pareto analysis, the three major steps necessitating root-cause analysis and intervention to minimize TAT were analysis turnaround time (TAT2), report collection time (TAT6) and report review time (TAT4). It was concluded that the causes for extended TAT are within control by the FSL management, although financial and human resources are required.

25 - Does EGFR genome analysis turnaround time affect the length of survival of patients with EGFR positive non-small cell lung cancer?

25 - Does EGFR genome analysis turnaround time affect the length of survival of patients with EGFR positive non-small cell lung cancer?

Next generation sequencing as a follow-up test in an expanded newborn screening programme

ObjectivesContrary to many western European countries, most south-eastern European countries do not have an expanded newborn screening (NBS) program using tandem mass spectrometry. This study would represent one of the first expanded NBS studies in south-eastern Europe and will enable the estimation of the incidences of IEM in Slovenia. We proposed an expanded NBS approach including next-generation sequencing (NGS) as a confirmational analysis. Design & methodsWe conducted a pilot study of expanded NBS for selected inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) in Slovenia including 10,048 NBS cards. We used an approach including tandem mass spectrometry followed by second tier tests including NGS. Based on the NBS results, 85 children were evaluated at a metabolic follow-up; 80 of them were analyzed using NGS. ResultsAltogether, glutaric acidemia type 1 was confirmed in one patient who was a compound heterozygote for two known causative GCDH variants. A patient with suspected very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency had negative metabolic follow-up tests, but had two heterozygous ACADVL variants; one known disease-causing variant and one indel, namely c.205-8_205-7delinsGC, that is predicted to be causative. Nine participants had elevated metabolites characteristic of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency, 2 of them had known causative homozygous variants in MCCC1. The other seven were heterozygous; two had a novel genetic variant c.149_151dupCCA (p.Thr50dup). Cumulative incidences of IEM in Slovenia were similar to other European countries. ConclusionsNGS proved to be valuable in explaining the abnormal metabolite concentrations in NBS as it enabled the differentiation between affected patients and mere heterozygotes, and it improved the turnaround time of genetic analysis. The results of this study will be instrumental in the routine implementation of expanded NBS in Slovenia.

Modified acid–base accounting model validation and pH buffer trend characterisation in mine drainage at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi mine in Ghana, West Africa

Acid–base accounting (ABA) is a static test used to evaluate pre-mining drainage quality of ores with interpretations based on a reference 3-data point model. The method is often complemented with a kinetic test to ensure certainty of results. The challenges associated with both methods compel companies to rely on only the ABA test, thereby compromising on the long-term drainage quality. This paper validates a proposed 4-data point model that was used to establish a 20% increase in the alkaline amendment of ores at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine in Ghana. The validation was done using model limits, the robustness of coefficient of determination and model factor sequence variation. Acidification trends and mineralogical data evaluation of tailings were used to characterise pH buffer trends in mine drainage. The modified 4-data point model, which incorporates a vital kinetic test factor into the ABA model, provides a criterion for the adjustment of carbonate amendment value to improve acid neutralisation in the drainage; this would reduce (1) cost of experimentation, (2) turnaround time for analyses, (3) complexities associated with both test methods. From the XRD data, alunite and goethite are present in tailings to provide sustained pH buffering in drainage beyond the scope of the modified model, while the characterised pH buffer trend could be used for monitoring drainage quality.

A multi-analyte approach to help in assessing the severity of acute poisonings - Development and validation of a fast LC-MS/MS quantification approach for 45 drugs and their relevant metabolites with one-point calibration.

Diagnosis, monitoring of the efficiency of detoxification, and estimating the prognosis of acute poisonings are important tasks in emergency toxicology. Comprehensive screening and quantification of relevant substances by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) help in assessing the severity of most acute poisonings. Turnaround time for such analyses must be short enough to impact on clinical decisions. Therefore, a multi-analyte LC-MS/MS approach with a 5-minute gradient was developed and validated for 45 drugs and their active metabolites as a complement to an existing GC-MS approach using the same liquid-liquid extraction. The determination ranges were defined by quality control samples of low and high, representing concentrations from low therapeutic to highly toxic levels. To shorten the turnaround time, one-point calibration was used. Validation showed low matrix effects and ionization effects of co-eluting analytes thanks to APCI source as well as sufficient recoveries, precisions, and selectivities. For accuracy, 32 of the 45 compounds fulfilled the criteria for quantification in lower therapeutic and 41 in overdosed and toxic concentrations, considering limits of ±30% deviation. The reuse of the processed calibrator for a period of 30days was possible for 32 compounds, showing sufficient stability at 8°C. In addition, analysis of authentic blood samples showed the applicability and yielded drug levels, which were comparable to those determined by fully validated therapeutic drug monitoring methods. In conclusion, the present approach in combination with the GC-MS approach should provide sufficient support for clinical assessment of the severity of poisonings with 68 compounds in an acceptable turnaround time.

A comparative study of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation screening methods in use in 20 European clinical diagnostic laboratories

Background:Thousands of clinically relevant variations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been discovered and this poses a significant challenge with respect to the accurate detection, analysis turn-around time, characterisation and interpretation of these sequence variants.Methods:We evaluated the performance of different BRCA1/2 gene testing practices in routine diagnostic use in 20 European laboratories, with a focus on next-generation sequencing-based strategies as this is the technical approach implemented by or under adoption by most European clinical laboratories. Participant laboratories, selected on expertise and diagnostic service quality, tested 10 identical DNA samples containing a range of challenging pathogenic variants.Results:A small number of errors in the detection of pathogenic and significant variants were identified (2.6% diagnostic error rate). There was a high degree of concordance (>97%) across all laboratories for all variants detected. No systematic technical flaw was identified in the strategies employed across the participating laboratories.Conclusions:The discrepancies identified are most likely due to human error or the way the methodology has been implemented locally, for example, next-generation sequencing bioinformatics pipelines, rather than technical limitations of the methods. The choice of BRCA1/2 testing method will therefore depend on multiple factors including required throughput and turn-around times, access to equipment, expertise and budget.

Laboratory Information Systems and Analytical Turnaround Time

Objective: The analytical turnaround time for laboratories is an indicator of their effectiveness and can be used as a quality indicator for laboratory medicine. It can also impact health care services. Laboratory information systems can impact the analytical turnaround time. Thus, any changes in these systems may affect the turnaround time for the laboratories they operate in. This study examines whether or not there is a significant improvement in the analytical turnaround time of the Haematology section at King Abdulaziz Medical City Laboratory Department in Jeddah after the implementation of the new laboratory information system. Design: This is a one-group, pre-test – post-test, quasi-experimental study with no control group. Results: Comparing the analytical turnaround time means of the tested panels between the new and the old laboratory information systems showed statistically significant differences. In general, a one-month increase was observed in the analytical turnaround time after the implementation of the new laboratory information system; however the analytical turnaround time was shown to have decreased after that the first month post implementation. Conclusion: The analytical Turnaround Time of the Haematology section at the Laboratory Department of King Abdulaziz Medical City – Jeddah was shown to have improved after implementing the new Laboratory Information System. However, it took some time until the improvement occurred.

Analysis of organic and high dissolved salt content solutions using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Quantification of analytes present in organic solvents or high salt content aqueous solutions using ICP-OES with minimal to no sample processing is desirable to improve analysis turnaround time and decrease sample cost.