Clinical laboratories are laboratories for re-engineering

Area of Science:

• Management Science
• Information Systems
• Laboratory Operations

Background:

• Re-engineering relies on computer-coordinated information management.
• Its application as a management tool has yielded mixed results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of re-engineering on laboratory objectives and teamwork.
• To assess the ambiguity and effectiveness of re-engineering as a management strategy.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of re-engineering principles in a laboratory context.
• Review of practical experiences with information coordination and management tools.

Main Results:

• Re-engineering can sharpen laboratory objectives but may also fragment specialized skills.
• It poses a threat to the collaborative attitudes essential for effective teamwork.
• Beneficial aspects of re-engineering are often already embedded in current laboratory management.

Conclusions:

• Re-engineering's utility as a distinct management strategy in laboratories is questionable due to its ambiguous outcomes.
• Focus should remain on integrating proven, effective components into existing management frameworks rather than adopting wholesale re-engineering.