Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service I (Projects aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery to meet international standards)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service II (Projects aiming to enhance clinical safety and outcomes, clinical governance / risk management)
Authors (including presenting author) :
LAM KHL(1), MOK JHM(1), SHUM LHY(1), HO KWK(1), TANG PCW(1), LEE KCY(1), MUNG PHM(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Information Technology and Health Informatics Division, Hong Kong Hospital Authority
Introduction :
The rapid hospital environment faces difficulties due to the daily receipt of numerous specimens that need to be shipped out to different laboratories. Manual processes, lack of visibility, and the need for precise and timely test results exacerbate the problem. To streamline specimen management, an efficient system for tracking is crucial. The corporate-wide Send Out Management and Record Trail (SMART) module, developed within the Laboratory Information System (LIS) and tested in leading laboratories, aims to transform the process of sending out specimens and enable tracking of their statuses. This improves communication, collaboration, and overall service quality.
Objectives :
The project objective is to create a module within LIS that effectively manages specimen transfer between laboratories. Key goals include digitalization and workflow streamlining, efficient tracing of the send-out process, and enhanced inter-laboratory communication for reliable testing.
Methodology :
The SMART module incorporates essential functionalities to enhance efficiency and traceability: - Intuitive indication of send-out specimens initiates data acquisition and record retrieval downstream. - Comprehensive tracking and retrieval of downstream records, including acknowledgement, registration, reporting, and rejection actions. - Seamless integration with the current LIS for effective communication, real-time specimen status access, and quick detection of missing specimens.
Result & Outcome :
The SMART module successfully underwent pilot testing in multiple pathology departments at UCH, TWH and NTEC, involving over 10 laboratories, in 4Q 2023. Processing and tracking over 20,000 send-out specimens through the module improved workflow efficiency and traceability. Positive feedback emphasized its ability to reduce time-consuming tasks, enhance management, and increase productivity while minimizing specimen mishandling.
The new inter-laboratory send-out specimen management module offers a user-friendly interface to identify specimens and ensures closed-loop tracking through downstream record retrieval. It guarantees that the right specimens reach the appropriate laboratories, delivering accurate and timely results for effective patient care. Digitalization enables comprehensive data collection for performance monitoring, trend analysis, and decision-making, optimizing processes and resource allocation.
Starting in January 2024, the SMART module will expand its implementation to other clusters. In the future, we will investigate additional improvements such as integrating batch send-out capabilities, implementing electronic receipts, creating alerts for potential missing specimens, expanding the range of send-out tests to include the Department of Health (DH), and incorporating Real-Time Locating System technology.
