navify® Analytics for Core Lab | Case Study
Streamlining laboratory efficiency: How LACE Laboratories transformed analytics
LACE Laboratories optimizes operational efficiency from analytics with
Analytics for Core Lab.
Situation
LACE is an innovative institution focused on scientific and technological advancement, incorporating new methodologies and state-of-the-art equipment, to meet the growing demand for diagnostics in a qualitative and quantitative way.
The current operating model has a main central lab, 8 satellite sites and 7 laboratories within different health centers, which must be interconnected to facilitate the monitoring of each pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical process.
Before Analytics, the criteria for the limits and parameters for autovalidation, as well as making decisions on analytical platform changes or personnel optimization, relied heavily on the expertise of professionals, complex statistical analysis and best practices in the field.
Solution
Through continuous monitoring of the validation dashboards, Turnaround Time (TAT), and hourly analytical volume, a comprehensive set of measures was implemented to enhance processes and collect qualitative data for evaluating decision-making effectiveness.
About Customer
- LACE Laboratorios is located in Cordoba, Argentina
- Performs more than 3 million tests/year
- More than 90% of the results are reported online within 24 hours
- Accredited in ISO 9001:2015
- Member of ALAC Argentina (Association of High Complexity Laboratories)
“ Analytics enables us to measure the benefits of fact- and statistics-based decision making rather than personal subjectivities or observations.”
Maribel Martinez Wassaf, PhD | Head of Virology
Benefits
Increased auto validation in endocrinology:
- By leveraging the quantification provided by the data analytics it was possible to optimize the parameters in the system configuration. As a result, there was a significant increase in the automatically validated tests.
- In the two largest volume tests (thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine) the automatically validated tests increased from 17.1% to 83.9% and 17.0% to 74.5%, respectively.
- This means reduced staff workload, enabling them to dedicate more time to complex patients, while also accelerating result delivery and reducing overtime.
“Improvements in TATs result in a direct benefit to our patients and professional colleagues.”
Maribel Martinez Wassaf, PhD | Head of Virology
TAT improvement upon change in analytical platform
Anti-HCV Ab test (Hepatitis C Antibody)
- 178 minutes
TAT reduction
55.1%
reduction of outliers (from 61.7% to 6.6%)
Tests associated with pregnancy and preconception (Hepatitis B, HIV, Syphilis, Chagas, Toxoplasmosis, Brucellosis)
- 58 minutes
TAT reduction
9.0%
reduction in outliers (from 16.9% to 7.9%)
“Effective, user-friendly tools and the availability of up-to-date data support action on sensitive topics such as time changes or hiring new staff.”
Maribel Martinez Wassaf, PhD | Head of Virology
Modification to the working hours of the virology department staff
Using Analytics, the team identified the entry peaks of determinations of manual processing to the department to reorder the active hours of work of the staff. It was migrated from 7-15 hours to 10-18 hours with an improvement in the flow of activities and TAT samples in the afternoon, without hiring new staff and no longer paying overtime.
