Application of Lean Six Sigma techniques to optimize hospital laboratory Emergency Department Turnaround time across a multi-hospital system

In January 2005, Indiana University, Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Purdue- Calumet were invited to partner with the Alverno Clinical Labs in adapting Lean Six Sigma methodologies for use within healthcare. Our initial project focused on optimization of lab services for the emergency department at the Saint Margaret Mercy Hospitals in Hammond, IN. This project resulted in reduction of lab test report time to the emergency department from 75 minutes to less than 35 minutes. These results have been sustained from the initial implementation to present – over 14 months. Additionally, this project has been successfully implemented across two additional hospitals lab within the Alverno-Provena Clinical Labs system. This paper will describe the partnership between IUPUI faculty and Alverno Clinical Labs in application of Lean Six Sigma techniques to optimize hospital lab services for the emergency department. Additionally, this paper will discuss the strategies and methodologies used to sustain initial results following the initial implementation and the key characteristics of successful project migration to additional hospital labs