Laboratory Medicine & Pathology

Data analytics is evolving into a promising method to provide insight from large amounts of data into improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Since most of the information used by healthcare providers for medical decisions is derived from laboratory testing, better use of the critical information within the laboratory’s data system can help to improve efficiency as well. One application for data analytics is to target the errors encountered in the preanalytical phase. These errors include patient/sample misidentification, hemolyzed/clotted specimens, insufficient specimen quantity, and improper test ordering, all of which may increase costs and negatively impact patient care. Reducing these errors can contribute to higher value-added patient outcomes (e.g., enhanced patient safety, fewer repeat blood draws). Additionally, incorporating data analytics can also assess laboratory competency and identify opportunities for overall quality improvement.