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As the demand for efficiency and quality in the health-care industry has increased over the past few years, adoption of Lean principles and tools in the medical laboratory industry has become increasingly crucial. The purpose of this study is to explore the level of adoption, barriers and enablers of Lean principles and tools in the Namibian medical laboratory industry.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to examine the level of usage, barriers and enablers, impact of Lean tools and to suggest appropriate strategies for adopting Lean in the Namibian medical laboratory services.

Research findings reveal that Lean tools are moderately implemented in most laboratories. Standard operating procedures, root cause analysis, overall equipment effectiveness and visual management are the important Lean tools used in the industry. Results of the survey also show that Lean tools had a positive impact on operational performance, employee motivation, turnaround time and cost reduction. Furthermore, top management involvement, adequate training and proper planning emerged as important enablers, while lack of support from the management, financial constraint and staff resistant to change are major barriers to the adoption of Lean principles in the Namibian medical laboratory industry.

The paper has inherent limitations of survey research, which the authors will overcome by using case studies with medical laboratories.

The findings of the authors’ work will help in widening the application of Lean principles in more medical laboratories in Namibia and in other parts of the world.

The paper is based on numerous health-care studies on Lean. This is one of the few papers investigating the adoption of Lean principles, specifically in medical laboratories, from an emerging economy such as Namibia.

In Thailand nearly 1,000 public health laboratories serve 65 million people. A qualified indicator of a good quality laboratory is Thailand Medical Technology Council certification. Consequently, Chiang Rai Regional Medical Sciences Center established a development program for laboratory certification for 29 laboratories in the province. This paper seeks to examine this issue.

The goal was to improve laboratory service quality by voluntary participation, peer review, training and compliance with standards. The program consisted of specific activities. Training and workshops to update laboratory staffs' quality management knowledge were organized. Staff in each laboratory performed a self‐assessment using a standard check‐list to evaluate ten laboratory management areas. Chiang Rai Regional Medical Sciences Center staff supported the distribution of quality materials and documents. They provided calibration services for laboratory equipment. Peer groups performed an internal audit and successful laboratories received Thailand Medical Technology Council certification.

By December 2007, eight of the 29 laboratories had improved quality sufficiently to be certified. Factors that influenced laboratories' readiness for quality improvement included the number of staff, their knowledge, budget and staff commitment to the process. Moreover, the support of each hospital's laboratory working group or network was essential for success.

There was no clear policy for supporting the program. Laboratories voluntarily conducted quality management using existing resources.

A bottom‐up approach to this kind of project can be difficult to accomplish. Laboratory professionals can work together to illustrate and highlight outcomes for top‐level health officials. A top‐down, practical approach would be much less difficult to implement.

Quality certification is a critical step for laboratory staff, which also encourages them to aspire to international quality standards like ISO. The certification program is an important mechanism for addressing inadequate knowledge, budget, planning, policy and staff required to improve laboratory services.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the status of US hospital Laboratory Information Systems. Laboratory Information Systems are critical to high quality healthcare service provision. Data show that the need for these systems is growing to meet accompanying technological and workload demands. Additionally, laboratory tests provide the majority of information for clinical decision‐making. Laboratory processes automation, including patient result verification, has greatly improved laboratory test throughput while decreasing turn‐around‐times, enabling critical results to reach physicians rapidly for improved clinical outcomes.

Data were drawn from the 2007 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics Database, which includes over 5,000 US healthcare organizations and provides extensive data on the hardware, software, and information technology infrastructure within healthcare organizations.

US hospitals are actively involved in laboratory systems planning to improve health service quality. Specifically, data show 76 new laboratory information systems are currently being installed in 2007 with another 399 under contract for future installation. As a result, increasing investment in laboratory information systems is providing state‐of‐the‐art clinical laboratory support, which enhances clinical care processes and improves quality. These state‐of‐the‐art Laboratory Information Systems, when linked with other clinical information systems such as Computerized Physician Order Entry and Electronic Medical Record, will support further healthcare quality improvement.

This article includes the most current information available on the US hospital laboratory information system applications.

The article aims to give an overview of the system of public health laboratory quality management in Thailand and to produce a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis that is relevant to public health laboratories in the country.

The systems for managing laboratory quality that are currently employed were described in the first component. The second component was a SWOT analysis, which used the opinions of laboratory professionals to identify any areas that could be improved to meet quality management systems.

Various quality management systems were identified and the number of laboratories that met both international and national quality management requirements was different. The SWOT analysis found the opportunities and strengths factors offered the best chance to improve laboratory quality management in the country.

The results are based on observations and brainstorming with medical laboratory professionals who can assist laboratories in accomplishing quality management.

The factors derived from the analysis can help improve laboratory quality management in the country. This paper provides viewpoints and evidence‐based approaches for the development of best possible practice of services in public health laboratories.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a service quality framework that enhances service delivery in clinical laboratories by gauging medical practitioner satisfaction and by providing avenues for continuous improvement.

The case study method has been used for conducting the exploratory study, with focus on the Mauritian public clinical laboratory. A structured questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL service quality model was used for data collection, analysis and for the development of the service quality framework.

The study confirms the pertinence of the following service quality dimensions within the context of clinical laboratories: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, turnaround time, technology, test reports, communication and laboratory staff attitude and behaviour.

The service quality framework developed, termed LabSERV, is vital for clinical laboratories in the search for improving service delivery to medical practitioners.

This is a pioneering work carried out in the clinical laboratory sector in Mauritius. Medical practitioner expectations and perceptions have been simultaneously considered to generate a novel service quality framework for clinical laboratories.

The Thailand National Institute of Health (NIH) established an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme on HIV serology testing since 1994 for many public health laboratories. For the past six years, the NIH has evaluated the activities of 226 laboratories.

Approximately 40,000 tests using 16 trial samples of external quality assessment panel performed at 226 laboratories during 2000‐2006. The methods performed were classified into five assays; machine‐based enzyme immunoassay (MBA), microplate‐based enzyme immunoassay (EIA), simple/rapid test and antigen assay only performed at blood screening laboratory centers. A few laboratories performed confirmation method by western blot (WB). Most participating laboratories performed at least two methods.

The evaluation showed that, during the six‐year period, the program had an increasing response rate among all groups of laboratories: government hospital laboratories, private hospital and clinic laboratories and blood screening laboratory centers. Moreover, there were no significantly different errors found between these groups. The highest median percent of overall errors found was in antigen assay. Very minimal errors appeared on other methods.

National HIV EQA program has played an important role in improving the quality of participating laboratory performance. The participating laboratories gained a better understanding and were able to use good quality anti‐HIV approved kits. Furthermore, HIV serology testing selection was varied over the past six years as microplate‐based EIA was mostly used in the past but currently MBA and simple/rapid test are more commonly used. The test methods were determined by test volumes and budget. In addition, sensitivity was one critical reason labs chose to use EIA. The most popular method used was simple/rapid testing. Overall errors occurred with all assays but not with WB. Errors could occur with any test techniques if good quality management is not employed.

The use and limitations of variable costs in predicting the financial effects of changing workloads in clinical chemistry are illustrated and discussed. The study identified the 10 tests with the highest annual variable expenditure in clinical chemistry laboratories of a district general hos‐pital and a teaching hospital. Six tests were common to both laboratories. The differences were due to the demands of specialised depart‐ments on the laboratory in the teaching hospital. In the laboratories studied, a very small group of commonly requested inexpensive tests (blood gases, plasma glucose, creatinine, urea, sodium and potassium) accounted for a large proportion (36–54 per cent) of the variable expenditure. Establishing glucose, the test with the highest variable expenditure, as a discretionary test in the district general hospital decreased the total number of tests by 6.9 per cent but revenue expenditure fell by only 1 per cent. However, efforts to save money by reducing workload would be most productive if directed at tests with a high variable expenditure.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of the application of the lean methodoloy in the pathology laboratory and to evaluate the results on the turnaround time.

This study was a prospective intervention study formed of the three stages of pre-intervention, determination of problem areas and the application of lean techniques and quality improvement. The study was conducted between February 2019 and August 2020. In the first stage, research was made through interviews, observations, questionnaires and seminars; in the second stage, observations, brain-storming, process flowcharts and fishbone diagram were used; and in the third stage, Kaizen, A3 method and spaghetti diagram were applied.

Following the application of lean techniques, turnaround time in the pathology laboratory was decreased, and the changes made in the working methods and placement of the units in the laboratory were found to have prevented unnecessary steps. The lean method was also determined to have had positive effects on the workplace satisfaction of the laboratory employees and of the physicians working with the laboratory.

The results showed that applying lean techniques could reduce waste and increase participation in processes. This article demonstrates its originality and relevance by proving that the lean techniques can be applied in the hospital laboratory. Actions to improve turnaround time are also crucial for the efficient use of resources.

The validity of an approach based on a quality system specification developed from BS5750 is considered, with reference to patient care activity in an out‐patient clinic at a general hospital. The quality systems specification is presented and the application of this system to the clinic and service departments is demonstrated.

Because medical waste may present potential hazards to employees, waste handlers and the general public, all facilities generating this form of waste should develop and implement a medical waste management strategy. This strategy should be prepared after conducting a survey to determine the types and estimated amounts of medical waste generated by the facility. The strategy should address medical waste handling, including segregation, packaging, in‐house transport and storage. The management plan must also prescribe appropriate treatment procedures for contaminated waste, and designate proper methods for final disposal of medical wastes and treatment residues. Finally, the facility must ensure the implementation and monitoring of this strategy.