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Related Experiment Videos

The Air Force's central reference laboratory: maximizing service while minimizing cost.

D A Armbruster1

  • 1Laboratory Services Branch, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5301.

Military Medicine
|November 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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The Air Force

Area of Science:

  • Laboratory Science
  • Healthcare Management
  • Military Medicine

Background:

  • The Air Force's central reference laboratory, Epi Lab, did not meet the service standards of civilian laboratories.
  • This resulted in significant annual spending on external commercial laboratory support.
  • A need for enhanced in-house clinical laboratory services was identified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To improve the clinical laboratory testing support provided by Epi Lab to Air Force medical treatment facilities (MTFs).
  • To reduce reliance on costly commercial laboratory services.
  • To implement a cost-effective, high-quality reference laboratory system within the Air Force.

Main Methods:

  • A two-phase laboratory upgrade program was implemented, starting with a 1-year field trial.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Key components included establishing overnight air courier services for sample transport.
  • A mainframe laboratory information system and electronic results reporting were introduced.
  • Medical marketing principles and Total Quality Management (TQM) were applied.

    • Main Results:

    • Enhanced reference laboratory services were provided to MTFs.
    • The program achieved substantial cost savings, estimated at approximately $1 million.
    • Patient care services were significantly improved through upgraded laboratory capabilities.

    Conclusions:

    • The Epi Lab upgrade program successfully demonstrated an innovative approach to problem-solving in military healthcare.
    • The integration of technical and managerial improvements yielded significant financial and patient care benefits.
    • The initiative serves as a model for applying TQM and marketing strategies within military medical systems.