From bottlenecks to breakthroughs: how MVZ Ludwigsburg redefined lab efficiency
Success story
MVZ Ludwigsburg
Leading medical lab in Germany's Limbach Group
5,000 tests daily and up to 100,000 at peak
Offers a broad range of diagnostic specialties
Addressing key challenges to improve lab efficiency
Several common operational challenges appear across many labs, hindering both efficiency and growth. Without integrated digital tools, many laboratories struggle with unreliable data sources, limiting their ability to identify and resolve inefficiencies. Peak-period bottlenecks, underutilized automation and perceived workflow inefficiencies – often unsupported by data – prevent labs from reaching their full potential. Additionally, a critical gap in preanalytical data makes it difficult to prove short turnaround times (TAT) and demonstrate true operational excellence. These challenges highlight the urgent need for advanced digital solutions that can optimize efficiency, resource management and turnaround time.
Lack of visibility and data made performance optimization difficult
MVZ Ludwigsburg faced operational bottlenecks during peak periods and lacked the data transparency needed to pinpoint inefficiencies. Although automation was in place, the lab couldn’t quantify where workflows were inefficient or underperforming. The lab struggled to demonstrate short turnaround times (TAT) and relied on limited preanalytical data, making it challenging to prove true end-to-end performance.¹
Smarter lab operations and efficiency through automation and insights
To overcome its operational challenges, MVZ Ludwigsburg implemented a suite of digital solutions from Roche aimed at achieving greater operational efficiency: navify® Lab Operations, navify Monitoring and navify Analytics for Core Lab. These solutions brought real-time visibility into processes, uncovered bottlenecks and supported data-driven decision-making.
Automating glucose testing helped shift some tests out of peak hours, easing the lab’s workload during busy times, while real-time alerts prevented delays. Together, these tools enabled the lab to improve efficiency, reduce turnaround times and build a foundation for continuous improvement.
Integrated lab insights
Our new Performance software plan combines navify Monitoring and navify Analytics – a duo designed to support labs quickly spot issues, track trends and focus on high-value tasks that improve service quality and efficiency. This software plan requires navify Lab Operations.
Streamlined workflows and optimized peak-time performance
navify Lab Operations improved MVZ Ludwigsburg’s workflow by enabling glucose tests to be processed as soon as the sample arrives – before the corresponding order is entered into the system. This reduced manual interventions, eliminated processing delays and allowed the lab to finish testing an hour earlier. The lab also gained transparency and control over its end-to-end processes, driving consistent and measurable efficiency gains.
Real-time alerts prevented delays and improved test reliability
MVZ Ludwigsburg implemented navify Monitoring after a key test parameter went undetected for hours, delaying results. With real-time alerts, the lab now identifies issues as they arise, ensuring critical tests are processed without disruption. This solution adds a layer of operational safety, helping staff respond proactively and avoid situations where important samples remain pending at the end of the day.
Data-driven insights improved efficiency and strategic planning
navify Analytics for Core Lab enabled MVZ Ludwigsburg to identify workflow inefficiencies, monitor trends and optimize operations. The lab separated STAT and routine tests to ease automation bottlenecks and began immediate processing of certain tubes before order entry, increasing sample capacity by 10%. It now benefits from real-time and retrospective data, supporting faster decisions and long-term planning.
Results
navify digital solutions reduced TAT by up to 49%* and boosted lab capacity and responsiveness
+10%increase in sample volume capacity
Achieved without infrastructure changes by optimizing workflows.
-29%TAT reduction in Emergency Department
Reduced from 52 to 37 minutes, enabling faster critical care decisions.
-49%TAT reduction in general test panel
Improved from 37 to 19 minutes, significantly enhancing overall lab efficiency.
First, clinical chemistry was suddenly finished an hour earlier, with the same sample volume. Secondly, the turnaround time for all parameters was almost cut in half. Even the urgent parameters had their turnaround time halved.
Frequently asked questions
Explore how navify digital solutions helped MVZ Ludwigsburg overcome operational bottlenecks, improve turnaround times and streamline workflows.
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Improving lab efficiency at MVZ Ludwigsburg with navify® digital solutions for core lab [Case study; cited 2025 Jul 18]. MC--17294.
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- * Individual lab results may vary, and testimonials are not claimed to represent typical results. All testimonials are real participants and may not reflect the typical purchaser’s experience and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results.