"Turnaround time": a new parameter for the characterization of the overall efficacy of laboratory diagnostic processes

INTRODUCTION: The authors developed a special computer-aided routine in their laboratory for the calculation of "turnaround time" which parameter is suitable for the characterization of the overall efficacy of laboratory diagnostic processes. The turnaround time is defined as the interval between the arrival time of a sample in the laboratory and the time of clinical validation. It characterizes the efficacy of the result generation process very well, and therefore, is considered as an important parameter of laboratory quality control. METHODS: In their present study the authors analyzed the data of the urgent (stat), routine and special laboratory tests of 6 months and presented the median, 5- and 95-percentile values of turnaround time. Beside this, they calculated the rate of "outliers": the number of tests having a longer turnaround time value, than the defined maximal turnaround time (stat 1 hour, routine 4 hours, special 2-14 days). RESULTS: The median turnaround time values were 9-70 minutes for the stat tests and 33-190 minutes for the routine analytes. In case of special tests, the results were much more heterogeneous, in general non-automated hemostasis and immunochemistry assays, with low sample numbers had longer turnaround time values and higher number of outliers. Longitudinal analysis of routine tests showed clearly that turnaround time values became shorter in every unit during the 1st 6 months of 2006. Clinical validation is an important component altering turnaround time that can be shortened substantially with the installation of an autovalidation program. Based on the data of the authors the median turnaround time values of routine assays were shortened by 1-2 hours after introduction of autovalidation. The applied program for turnaround time analysis is suitable for evaluation of sample transfer times, too, that was presented by comparison of two "emergency units" having different sample transfer facilities. CONCLUSIONS: The described turnaround time analysis is part of the general routine processes in laboratories of the developed countries but is the first such trial in Hungary.