unit 2

• Planning for Management of Clinical Laboratories involves three major process workflows
• Three major process workflows include pre-examination or preanalytical, examination or analytical and post-examination stages
• Pre-examination stage involves patient preparation, sample collection, personnel competency test evaluation, sample receipt and accessioning, and sample transport
• Examination stage includes quality control testing using quality control material to check instrument reliability and implementation of a quality control plan
• Post-examination stage involves record keeping, reporting, and release of actual results
• Planning the workflow of Clinical Laboratories requires qualities of a good planner and values derived from planning for clinical laboratory management
• A good planner ensures competent and motivated teams in implementing quality management systems
• Values derived from planning include reduction of risks, coordination of interdepartmental goals, economical operation, and executive development
• Setting goals and objectives through Management by Objectives (MBO) involves a hierarchy of plans and different types of plans
• Planning the laboratory design and circulation pathways in the clinical laboratory is essential for efficient operations
• Circulation pathways include sample collection areas, sample processing areas, circulation pathways, and post-examination pathways
• Planning the spatial considerations in designing a laboratory is crucial for quality practices and transcends the path of workflow processes
• Planning for the development of quality practices in a clinical laboratory involves twelve areas recommended by the WHO Quality Management Handbook
• Quality practices include pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical flow processes in a clinical laboratory
• Focus of planning in critical areas of clinical laboratory management includes organization, personnel, equipment, purchasing and inventory, process controls, information management, documents and records, occurrence management, assessment, process improvement, and customer services
• Organization planning involves top-level management, middle management, and first-line management with a strong supporting organizational structure
• Personnel planning ensures competent and motivated teams in implementing quality management systems
• Equipment planning involves acquisition, validation, and maintenance of equipment to ensure an effective workflow
• Purchasing and inventory planning ensures cost savings and availability of supplies and reagents
• Process control planning ensures quality control for testing and appropriate management of samples
• Information management planning ensures accuracy, confidentiality, and accessibility of information managed through paper systems or computers
• Documents and records planning ensures accurate, up-to-date, and accessible documents needed in the laboratory
• Occurrence management planning involves detecting and managing errors or events to prevent their reoccurrence
• Assessment planning involves examining laboratory performance and comparing it to standards or benchmarks for process improvement
• Process improvement planning aims for continuous improvement of clinical laboratory processes in a systematic manner
• Customer services planning focuses on providing quality services to patients and clients
• Planning and benchmarking customer service ensures that the laboratory understands and assesses who their customers are and uses feedback for making improvements to align with external changes
• A well-known laboratory and a much less-known laboratory may have the same set of equipment used for testing but may differ in customer service
• Facilities and Safety Management includes aspects such as security, containment, safety, and ergonomics
• Security:

  • Process of preventing unwanted risks and hazards from entering the laboratory space
  • To eliminate the risk, you must eliminate the hazard
• Containment:

  • Seeks to minimize risks and prevent hazards from leaving the laboratory space and causing harm to the community
  • Related to infection and chemical control
• Safety:

  • Includes policies and procedures to prevent harm to workers, visitors, and the community
• Ergonomics:

  • Addresses facility and equipment adaptation to allow safe and healthy working conditions at the laboratory site
  • Poor ergonomics can lead to physical strain and discomfort for workers
• Qualities of a good planner include good judgment, imagination, foresight, experience, ability to accept changes, ability to evaluate laboratory opportunities and hazards, and proficiency in the determination of objectives
• Values derived from planning for clinical laboratory management include the achievement of objectives in the most efficient and economical manner, use of efficient methods and development of standards, integration of activities towards goal-directed actions, and reduction of emergency problems and risks
• Indicators of poor planning include delivery dates not met, idle machines, materials wasted, some machines doing jobs that should be done by smaller machines, overworked or underworked personnel, skilled workers doing unskilled work, personnel fumbling on untrained jobs, and conflicts among personnel
• Benefits of good planning include jobs completed on time, good relationships with other departments, utilization of highest skills, understanding of job roles, proper machine functioning, equipment maintenance, availability of materials, and minimal waste
• Setting goals and objectives through Management by Objectives (MBO) involves goal setting, alignment with organizational goals, action plans, performance evaluation, and providing feedback to improve employee performance
• Hierarchy of plans includes mission, objectives, strategies, policies, procedures, rules, programs, and budgets
• Types of plans include strategic planning for long-term goals, tactical plans for short-range strategies, and operational plans for detailed short-term contributions to strategic goals