English 
Italian CONTRIBUTI SCIENTIFICI – Scientific Papers
Volume:
Biochimica Clinica 2019; 43(2) 150-155
Pubblicato on-line:
April 16, 2019
DOI:
10.19186/BC_2019.036
La fase pre-analitica dei campioni provenienti dal Pronto Soccorso: impatto della introduzione di un impianto di posta pneumatica nel miglioramento del tempo di risposta
AUTORI
1Medicina di Laboratorio, Ospedale dell’Angelo, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Mestre Venezia
2Pronto Soccorso, Ospedale dell’Angelo, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Mestre Venezia
3Direzione Amministrativa, Ospedale dell’Angelo, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Mestre Venezia
ABSTRACT
Improving pre-analytical laboratory turnaround time for the emergency department: outcomes of a pneumatic tube system introduction
Background: the pre-analytical phase of the stat tests requested by the Emergency Department (ED) has been rarelystudied in relation to the containment of the laboratory turnaround time (TAT).
Methods: through a pre-analytical workflow analysis in a large ED with “Lean” methodology, some improvementshave been activated, including the installation of a pneumatic tube system (PTS).
Results: significant improvement of TATs (23 minutes at 90th percentile) and also of length of stay (LOS) of EDpatients (53 minutes at 90th percentile) has been documented. The plasma concentrations of a number of analytesmeasured in samples transported manually and by PTS were very similar (lactic dehydrogenase excluded),demonstrating that PTS does not alter the integrity of the samples.
Conclusions: compared to manual transportation, the use of this PTS significantly reduced transport time and alsoimproved some pre-analytical flow phases within the ED. The system is suitable for the measurement of most of theanalytes commonly requested for ED patients