Benchmarking medical laboratory performance on a global scale.

Area of Science:

• Laboratory medicine
• Healthcare management
• Quality improvement

Background:

• Laboratory performance requires continuous benchmarking for procedural and medical process improvement.
• Benchmarking establishes reference levels for healthcare institutions to enhance the diagnosis cycle, focusing on patient-centered care.
• Despite general acknowledgment, practical implementation of laboratory benchmarking is globally lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a specific indicator combination and survey approach for data collection.
• To establish a global benchmarking dataset of laboratory performance for healthcare decision-makers.
• To identify areas for improvement in laboratory operations and patient care pathways.

Main Methods:

• A survey with 44 items on laboratory operations and three subscales was administered globally.
• Trained professionals collected data from a diverse sample of laboratories worldwide.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis for dimensional reduction and scoring.

Main Results:

• 920 laboratories from 55 countries participated, representing government, private, and commercial sectors.
• Significant need for digitalization and automation across the diagnosis cycle was identified.
• Formal quality management systems (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 15189) require broader adoption for patient safety.
• Monitoring of healthcare performance key performance indicators (KPIs) was low (10-30%), with only 19% tracking diagnosis/treatment speed.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a global benchmark of current laboratory practices.
• Findings highlight the urgent need for improved digitalization, automation, and quality management system implementation.
• The established dataset can guide efforts to standardize quality and safety, enhance patient outcomes, and ensure healthcare system sustainability.