Reducing turnaround time for routine outpatient biochemical tests through Lean Six Sigma: A case study in China

IF 2.1 4区医学 Q3 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES Journal of evaluation in clinical practice Pub Date : 2024-07-31 DOI:10.1111/jep.14116

Xinzhe Zhao MPA, Xiaoping Qin PhD, Yuli Miao MD

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Abstract

Background

Routine clinical biochemistry tests are crucial for clinical diagnostics and play a key role in enhancing outpatient turnover efficiency and patient satisfaction. This study aimed to implement Lean Six Sigma in the biochemistry laboratory of a hospital in China to improve efficiency and quality by reducing turnaround time.

Methods

The study was conducted from January to December 2023, using the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework, and employed tools such as the voice of the customer, Value Stream Mapping, ‘5 whys’ technique, Nominal Group Technique, and Pareto chart.

Results

The turnaround time for outpatient routine clinical biochemistry tests was reduced from 139 min to 58 min (p < 0.05), effectively increasing both patient and physician satisfaction.

Conclusions

Lean Six Sigma aimed to reduce the turnaround time for biochemical tests have significant advantages. This study confirms the effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma in a Chinese clinical laboratory setting and provides guidance for optimizing efficiency in global clinical laboratories with limited implementation experience, constrained technical and equipment resources, and high demand for medical diagnostics.

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通过精益六西格玛缩短常规门诊生化检验的周转时间：中国案例研究。

背景：常规临床生化检验是临床诊断的关键，在提高门诊周转效率和患者满意度方面发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在中国某医院的生化实验室实施精益六西格玛，通过缩短周转时间来提高效率和质量：研究于 2023 年 1 月至 12 月进行，采用了 DMAIC（定义、测量、分析、改进、控制）框架，并使用了客户之声、价值流图、"5 个为什么 "技术、名义小组技术和帕累托图等工具：结果：门诊常规临床生化检验的周转时间从 139 分钟缩短到 58 分钟（p 结论：门诊常规临床生化检验的周转时间从 139 分钟缩短到 58 分钟（p 结论）：旨在缩短生化检验周转时间的精益六西格玛具有显著优势。本研究证实了精益六西格玛在中国临床实验室环境中的有效性，并为实施经验有限、技术和设备资源有限、医疗诊断需求量大的全球临床实验室优化效率提供了指导。

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来源期刊

Journal of evaluation in clinical practice 医学-卫生保健

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

4.20%

发文量

143

审稿时长

3-8 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice aims to promote the evaluation and development of clinical practice across medicine, nursing and the allied health professions. All aspects of health services research and public health policy analysis and debate are of interest to the Journal whether studied from a population-based or individual patient-centred perspective. Of particular interest to the Journal are submissions on all aspects of clinical effectiveness and efficiency including evidence-based medicine, clinical practice guidelines, clinical decision making, clinical services organisation, implementation and delivery, health economic evaluation, health process and outcome measurement and new or improved methods (conceptual and statistical) for systematic inquiry into clinical practice. Papers may take a classical quantitative or qualitative approach to investigation (or may utilise both techniques) or may take the form of learned essays, structured/systematic reviews and critiques.