Physician Satisfaction With Clinical Laboratory Services: A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes Study of 138 Institutions

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 267-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.G. Bissell
2009 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-43
Author(s):  
Bruce A. Jones ◽  
Leonas G. Bekeris ◽  
Raouf E. Nakhleh ◽  
Molly K. Walsh ◽  
Paul N. Valenstein

Abstract Context.—Monitoring customer satisfaction is a valuable component of a laboratory quality improvement program. Objective.—To survey the level of physician satisfaction with hospital clinical laboratory services. Design.—Participating institutions provided demographic and practice information and survey results of physician satisfaction with defined aspects of clinical laboratory services, rated on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Results.—One hundred thirty-eight institutions participated in this study and submitted a total of 4329 physician surveys. The overall satisfaction score for all institutions ranged from 2.9 to 5.0. The median overall score for all participants was 4.1 (10th percentile, 3.6; 90th percentile, 4.5). Physicians were most satisfied with the quality/reliability of results and staff courtesy, with median values of excellent or good ratings of 89.9%. Of the 5 service categories that received the lowest percentage values of excellent/good ratings (combined scores of 4 and 5), 4 were related to turnaround time for inpatient stat, outpatient stat, routine, and esoteric tests. Surveys from half of the participating laboratories reported that 96% to 100% of physicians would recommend the laboratory to other physicians. The category most frequently selected as the most important category of laboratory services was quality/reliability of results (31.7%). Conclusions.—There continues to be a high level of physician satisfaction and loyalty with clinical laboratory services. Test turnaround times are persistent categories of dissatisfaction and present opportunities for improvement.


2016 ◽  
Vol 140 (10) ◽  
pp. 1098-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon J. McCall ◽  
Rhona J. Souers ◽  
Barbara Blond ◽  
Larry Massie

Context.—Assessment of customer satisfaction is a vital component of the laboratory quality improvement program.Objective.—To survey the level of physician satisfaction with hospital clinical laboratory services.Design.—Participating institutions provided demographic information and survey results of physician satisfaction, with specific features of clinical laboratory services individually rated on a scale of 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor).Results.—Eighty-one institutions submitted 2425 surveys. The median overall satisfaction score was 4.2 (10th percentile, 3.6; 90th percentile, 4.6). Of the 16 surveyed areas receiving the highest percentage of excellent/good ratings (combined scores of 4 and 5), quality of results was highest along with test menu adequacy, staff courtesy, and overall satisfaction. Of the 4 categories receiving the lowest percentage values of excellent/good ratings, 3 were related to turnaround time for inpatient “STAT” (tests performed immediately), outpatient STAT, and esoteric tests. The fourth was a new category presented in this survey: ease of electronic order entry. Here, 11.4% (241 of 2121) of physicians assigned below-average (2) or poor (1) scores. The 5 categories deemed most important to physicians included quality of results, turnaround times for inpatient STAT, routine, and outpatient STAT tests, and clinical report format. Overall satisfaction as measured by physician willingness to recommend their laboratory to another physician remains high at 94.5% (2160 of 2286 respondents).Conclusions.—There is a continued trend of high physician satisfaction and loyalty with clinical laboratory services. Physician dissatisfaction with ease of electronic order entry represents a new challenge. Test turnaround times are persistent areas of dissatisfaction, representing areas for improvement.


2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 817-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Alex de Oliveira Galoro ◽  
Maria Elizabete Mendes ◽  
Marcelo Nascimento Burattini

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel Namuhani ◽  
Suzanne N Kiwanuka ◽  
Martha Akulume ◽  
Simeon Kalyesubula ◽  
William Bazeyo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Clinical laboratory services are a critical component of the health system for effective disease diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention. However, many laboratories in Sub Saharan Africa remain dysfunctional. The high costs of tests in the private sector also remain a hindrance to accessing testing services. This study aimed at assessing the functionality of laboratories based on test menus and the associated constraints in Uganda. Methods This cross sectional quantitative study involved an assessment of 100 laboratories randomly selected in 20 districts from four regions of the country. Sixteen percent of the studied laboratories were regional hub laboratories. Laboratory in charges and managers in each of the selected laboratories were interviewed. A checklist for laboratory supplies adapted from the Essential Medicines and Health supplies list for Uganda, (2012) was used to assess availability of testing supplies. Data was analyzed using excel and STATA 14. Results At the point of assessment, generally, all laboratories were able to perform malaria tests and HIV tests. All the hub laboratories conducted malaria tests and TB screening. Less than half had electrolytes tests due to lack of equipment, nonfunctioning equipment and lack of reagents. Full blood count tests were missing in 25% of the hub laboratories mainly due to lack of equipment. The lack of reagents (66.7%) and the lack of equipment (58.3%) caused the majority 10/16 of the hubs to routinely referred specimens for tests that are supposed to be carried out in these laboratories due to lack of reagents (66.7%) and non-functional equipment (58.3%). Although officially recognized as an operational structure, Hub laboratories lacked a list of essential and vital supplies. Conclusions Most laboratories performed well for the common tests. However, many laboratories did not meet testing requirements especially for the advanced tests according to standard testing menus for Uganda due to non-functioning equipment, lack of equipment and reagents. Hubs lack list of essential supplies. Therefore, there is need to provide equipment to laboratories, repair the non-functional ones and develop an essential list of supplies for the hub laboratories.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiwot Amare Hailu ◽  
Adinew Desale Lule ◽  
Anteneh Yalew ◽  
Habtamu Asrat Alaba ◽  
Sisay Kebede ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Knowing customers’ level of satisfaction is relevant to improve and provide quality health care services. In the clinical laboratory, monitoring customers’ satisfaction is an important indicator of the quality management system and required by international laboratory standards. However, in Ethiopia, there has not been baseline data about the satisfaction level of patients’ with laboratory services at the national level. The aim of this national level survey was to assess patients’ satisfaction level with laboratory services at public hospitals in Ethiopia. Methods: A national survey was conducted using an institutional based cross-sectional study design was employed from 01 to 30 November 2017. A total of 2,399 patients were selected randomly from 60 public hospitals. Data was collected using structured questionnaire, entered in Epi Info and analyzed with SPSS software. Multiple logistic regression model was fitted to identify predictors of patients’ satisfaction with laboratory services. A p-value of less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Result: Overall, 78.6% of the patients were satisfied with the clinical laboratory services. Patients were dissatisfied with cleanness of latrine (47%), long waiting time (30%), clear and understandable advisory service during specimen collection (26%), adequacy of waiting area (25%), easy accessibility of laboratory (19%) and latrine location (20%), availability of requested service (18%), unfair payment of service (17%) and missing of result (12%). The educational status (P = 0.032), and distance (P = 0.000) were significantly associated with client overall satisfaction level. Conclusion: Most laboratory patients’ were satisfied with the service provided by public hospital laboratories in public hospitals in Ethiopia. However, patients’ were dissatisfied with the accessibility of sites, adequacy of waiting area, cleanness of latrine, long TAT, communication, missing of results, availability of requested service and cost of service. Therefore, responsible bodies in each level should act on the identified gaps and improve the need of patients in each hospital laboratory. In addition, all hospital laboratories should conduct a satisfaction survey and meet the needs of laboratory patients. Keywords: patient satisfaction, hospital, laboratory service, national survey


2006 ◽  
Vol 130 (12) ◽  
pp. 1756-1761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce A. Jones ◽  
Molly K. Walsh ◽  
Stephen G. Ruby

Abstract Context.—Monitoring customer satisfaction is an important and useful quality improvement tool and is required of most clinical laboratories in the United States. Objective.—To survey the level of nursing satisfaction with hospital clinical laboratory services. Design.—Participating laboratories provided information regarding laboratory demographics and practices. These laboratories then surveyed hospital nursing personnel regarding their level of satisfaction with defined aspects of laboratory service. Setting.—College of American Pathologists Q-Probes laboratory quality improvement study in 162 hospital laboratories. Main Outcome Measures.—Nursing overall satisfaction score (ranging from 1, not satisfied, to 5, very satisfied) and satisfaction scores for 13 specific aspects of clinical laboratory services. Results.—One hundred sixty-two institutions submitted data from a total of 7033 nursing surveys. The overall satisfaction score for all institutions ranged from 2.5 to 4.6. The median overall score for all participants was 3.9 (10th percentile, 3.2; 90th percentile, 4.2). Nursing personnel were most satisfied with the accuracy of test results, phlebotomy courtesy toward patients and nursing staff, and notification of abnormal results. They were least satisfied with stat test turnaround time, laboratory management responsiveness and accessibility, phlebotomy responsiveness to service requests, and routine test turnaround time. The most important aspect of laboratory service reported by nursing personnel was stat test turnaround time. Conclusions.—Most nursing personnel are satisfied with the clinical laboratory services that are provided to the patients in their care. Although test result accuracy is very highly regarded, there is room for improvement in several aspects of service, particularly in test turnaround time and laboratory management accessibility and responsiveness.


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1241-1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
E T Wong

Abstract Managed care is changing the financing of healthcare and replacing open-ended reimbursement with fixed pricing schemes. Clinical laboratory tests will remain an important part of medical practice because laboratory information is essential for diagnosis and management of patients. The relative role of the hospital-based clinical laboratory, however, remains to be determined because healthcare organizations are reevaluating their services and attempting to drive down costs through reducing unit costs, decreasing utilization of services, and improving patient outcomes. The challenge for the clinical laboratory in managed care is to achieve appropriate utilization of laboratory tests so that clinical outcomes are optimized. The clinical laboratory at this medical center has used a number of approaches to improve utilization of thyroid function tests, isoenzyme tests for myocardial infarction, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin tests, and stat laboratory services for the emergency department. These experiences suggest that the laboratory can contribute to optimizing utilization of laboratory tests. This goal will require mutual cooperation of both the clinician and the clinical laboratory physician and (or) scientist.


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