Improving Patient Care Through a Standardized Laboratory-Clinician Communication Quality Improvement Project:...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Education
• Clinical Operations

Background:

• Quality improvement (QI) education is crucial for high-quality healthcare.
• Resident involvement in QI projects enhances practical application of principles.
• Timely laboratory data is essential for inpatient clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To standardize communication regarding uncollected laboratory draws in an inpatient rehabilitation setting.
• To implement and evaluate a resident-led quality improvement intervention.
• To improve interdisciplinary communication between phlebotomists and clinicians.

Main Methods:

• A root cause analysis identified communication variances.
• A standardized email template was developed for notifying clinicians of uncollected labs.
• A two-week feasibility pilot involved resident physicians and advanced practice providers, later expanded to attending physicians.

Main Results:

• The standardized weekday email notification system was implemented with 100% adherence during interventions.
• The intervention successfully unified communication methods for uncollected laboratory draws.
• Residents gained insights into interdisciplinary collaboration within hospital operations.

Conclusions:

• A standardized email notification system is an effective and efficient method for communicating uncollected laboratory draws.
• Resident-led QI projects can significantly improve hospital operational communication.
• Standardized communication protocols enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and healthcare quality.