Notes for owners · Industry-Specific Software Guides
What a Pathology Lab Should Review Every Month
Each month, a pathology lab should review samples by source, rejections, late reports, dues from centres, kits near expiry and tests still out at reference labs. These figures come from registers, worklists and bills. GullySystem’s pathology lab product lists them from the lab’s own entries.
Ganesh HS, Strategy and Technology, GullySystem · · 3 min read
Samples by source and bench
Start with where the work came from. Count samples from walk-ins, home visits, partner centres, nursing homes, corporate clients and camps. A source that is growing or shrinking deserves attention.
Then count by bench. Biochemistry, haematology, serology, microbiology and histopathology each carry a different load. A bench that is always behind may need a second technician on certain mornings, or a different run order.
- Samples by source for the month
- Samples by department or bench
- New partner centres and their first month’s volume
Rejected samples and recollections
Every rejected sample costs a second visit and a delayed report. Count rejections by reason: haemolysed, clotted, short in quantity, wrong tube or unlabelled.
Next, split them by where the sample was collected. A pattern by phlebotomist or by centre points to training, not to bad luck. Recollections booked against the same order show how many patients were called back.
Keep the reasons in a fixed list. Free-text notes are hard to count.
Reports that waited too long
Set your own target time for each test group, then look at the reports that missed it. Ask where each one waited: for the sample, at the bench, for sign-off or at the desk.
Long-running tests such as cultures and biopsies need their own targets. Mixing them with routine tests hides real delays.
Reports sent to reference labs belong here too. List any that came back late, by reference lab.
- Reports past target, by test group
- Where each late report waited
- Outsourced results returned late, by reference lab
Dues, rates and discounts
Send every partner centre, nursing home and corporate client a statement. Each one should list samples, rates and payments, so a disputed line can be traced to a patient and date.
Look at the balance each account carries and how long it has been open. An account that keeps growing needs a conversation before the next month starts.
Review discounts as well. Note who gave each one, on which tests, and for what reason.
Kits, controls and the month’s quality records
Check reagent kits, controls and consumables by lot and expiry. Lots close to expiry can be used first or returned where the supplier allows it.
Read the month’s control charts for each machine and test. Note any failed runs and the action taken. The pathologist or quality officer can sign the month off.
None of this needs special software. A register works for a small lab. Software helps when the counts come from several benches and centres at once.
- Kits and lots near expiry
- Failed control runs and the action taken
- Consumables below their reorder level
Pathology lab monthly review sheet
Five boxes on a single page: samples, rejections, late reports, dues and stock. Fill in the counts once the month has closed. Keep the sheets in a file so trends across months are visible.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Who should run the monthly review?
Usually the owner or lab manager, with the pathologist reading the rejection, delay and quality figures. Accounts staff bring the dues.
Can this be done from paper registers?
Yes, for a small lab. It becomes slow when samples arrive from several centres and benches, and counts have to be gathered by hand.
Does software decide our target report times?
No. The lab sets its own targets for each test group. Software only shows which reports met them.