Patients coming to the hospital; people undergoing health check-ups; outsourcing inspection units; medical colleagues, etc.
Our hospital's Department of Laboratory Medicine has a history of more than 30 years. The process has gone through the manual copying of traditional test orders to the information management system; the operation of single test machines has gradually changed from semi-automatic to fully automated machine operation mode. In the process, the Department of Laboratory Medicine has launched a series of medical test laboratories. The digital transformation plan uses information and technology to digitize and streamline processes to improve operations. The process integrates software such as a digital inspection timeliness monitoring system, unified inspection number, establishment of concurrent management rules for inspection items, bedside care vehicle and large-volume physical examination specimen collection system, specimen delivery monitoring and timeliness monitoring system, etc. The cooperation of the units completely records the history of each specimen. Our hospital has digitized the examination process of all inpatients in 2022, eliminating the need to print examination orders. Various information and process improvements have improved examination quality and patient safety.
Unified coding of inspection specimens (including the establishment of inspection items and management rules); Optimization of the inspection system (relevant settings of automatic reporting machines and establishment of automatic preparation and management processes); Optimization of specimen transportation (establishing appropriate settings based on the urgency of inspection submission by the unit of inspection delivery method); optimization of the specimen collection; automated specimen diversion; inspection timeliness monitoring system; paperless hospitalization inspection form; use of POWER BI to integrate inspection quality indicators; inspection relay software to prevent blockage exception reports; AI-assisted interpretation; Automated specimen retention.
Outpatient Phlebotomy Service Volume: From 2020 to 2024, the average monthly number of patients served increased from 11,099 to 13,834, representing a growth of 24.6%. Average Outpatient Waiting Time: From 2020 to 2024, the average waiting time decreased from 9.2 minutes to 6.3 minutes, a reduction of 31.3%.
Hospital-wide Specimen Submission: From 2014 to August 2025, the total number of specimens submitted hospital-wide reached 12,223,315 cases. The average specimen turnaround time decreased from 60 minutes to 31 minutes, a reduction of 48.3%.
Group Health Examination Report Turnaround Time: From 2018 to 2023, the average annual examination volume was 26,682 cases. The average report issuance time decreased from 771 minutes to 60 minutes, a reduction of 92.2%.
Urgent Laboratory Turnaround Time: From 2014 to August 2025, the average time from specimen collection to receipt decreased from 60 minutes to 31 minutes, a reduction of 48.3%; the average time from specimen receipt to report issuance decreased from 46 minutes to 35 minutes, a reduction of 23.9%.
Laboratory Business Growth Rate: From 2015 to 2025, overall growth reached 90.3%. Despite the increase in workload volume, specimen processing turnaround time has been shortened, enabling patients to receive accurate laboratory reports in a more timely manner.
Through the following mechanism and process controls, patient safety incident rates have been significantly reduced:
Internal and External Quality Control Mechanisms for Laboratory Instruments: When abnormalities are detected, comprehensive review and corrective measures must be conducted.
Laboratory Turnaround Time Monitoring Mechanism: Relevant turnaround time monitoring protocols are established based on clinical urgent specimen data, with regular reviews and improvements conducted periodically.
Abnormal Value Middleware Interception and Alert System: A middleware system is in place to intercept and flag abnormal results, preventing the release of erroneous reports.
Laboratory Patient Safety Incident Rate: From 2015 to 2024, the rate decreased by 96.0%.
Outpatient Satisfaction Rate: From 2019 to 2024, the satisfaction rate increased from 82.1% to 96.9%, an improvement of 18.0%.
Medical Staff Satisfaction Rate: From 2020 to 2024, the satisfaction rate increased from 82.3% to 88.6%, an improvement of 7.6%.
Paper Reduction and Resource Conservation: By reducing paper printing and lowering resource consumption, the number of paper boxes used for accreditation-related documents decreased from 109 boxes per year to 25 boxes between 2019 and 2023, a reduction of 77.1%. Since the implementation of laboratory digitalization, a total of 22.5 metric tons of paper have been saved, aligning with sustainable development ESG indicators.
Reduction in Manual Processing Time from Specimen Receipt to Report Issuance: By eliminating manual receipt verification and shortening the overall laboratory reporting time, the Group Health Examination report turnaround serves as a key example — from 2018 to 2023, with an average annual examination volume of 26,682 cases, the average report issuance time decreased from 771 minutes to 60 minutes, a reduction of 92.2%. 3.Reduction in Patient Safety Incident Reports and Enhancement of Patient Safety: By leveraging information integration to optimize the specimen collection and sign-off process, and by simplifying the establishment of a specimen turnaround monitoring system, the laboratory patient safety incident rate decreased by 96.0% from 2015 to 2024.
This project, through information integration and process optimization, achieved four major benefits and contributions despite a 90.3% increase in total laboratory testing volume:
Breaking through efficiency bottlenecks: Hospital-wide specimen collection time was reduced by 48.3% (down to 31 minutes), and group health check report issuance was significantly reduced by 92.2% (from 771 to 60 minutes); outpatient blood draw waiting time was also reduced by 31.3%, ensuring patients receive timely and accurate reports.
Safeguarding patient safety: The implementation of system-based error prevention and timeliness monitoring replaced traditional manual verification, resulting in a 96.0% drop in the incidence of abnormal patient safety data in the laboratory.
A double leap in satisfaction: Improved patient experience and clinical processes led to a 96.9% increase in outpatient satisfaction and an 88.6% satisfaction rate among healthcare professionals, creating a win-win situation for both patients and healthcare providers.
Practicing ESG sustainability: Promoting digital paperless practices resulted in a cumulative reduction of up to 22.5 metric tons of paper usage, and a 77.1% reduction in annual assessment document usage, implementing green healthcare.
This case successfully balances "high efficiency, low anomalies, high satisfaction, and green energy reduction" through intelligent management, bringing profound value to the hospital's overall operation and social responsibility.
