EVALUATION OF TURNAROUND TIMES AS A COMPONENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE INSURGICAL PATHOLOGY

Objective. As a part of a quality assurance program in anatomic pathol ogy, a study was conducted to determine intralaboratory components of turnaround time according to specimen type, and to compare the present data with results obtained 2 years after implementing the program. De sign. Assessment of intralaboratory turnaround times for surgical path ology reports in a sample of 501 biopsies and surgical specimens durin g 1992. Comparison between the basal data obtained in 1992 and the fin al determination in 1994 after the implementation of an improvement ac tion. Setting. Surgical specimens and biopsies accessioned at the Depa rtment of Anatomic Pathology of a 913-bed acute-care teaching hospital in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Study sample and participants. The s ample was selected from the total number of biopsies and surgical spec imens accessioned on specific days by applying a table of random numbe rs. Data were collected from the request forms, final report copies, a nd laboratory registries of turnaround time-points by two resident phy sicians. Interventions. All relevant information concerning turnaround times was recorded following a standardized questionnaire developed s pecifically for the study. Main outcome measures. The basal determinat ion for turnaround time for pathologic diagnosis in 1992 was 5.7 days. Results. The mean turnaround time for the 501 specimens was 6.24 days (SD = 3.16; range = 2-27 days). Turnaround times varied substantially according to specimen type. Endoscopic biopsy samples were completed by 5.19 days (SD = 2.18). Bone biopsies were finalized within a mean o f 8.11 days of receipt (SD = 3.18). For the diagnosis of lymphoprolife rative disorders, most lymph node specimens required special histochem ical or immunohistochemical stains. The mean turnaround time for resul ts reporting/results transmittal to the ordering physician varied betw een 1.14 and 1.66 days. The 1992 annual mean turnaround time for a tot al of 14 862 surgical pathology specimens was 5.7 days as compared wit h 4.2 days for a total of 17 931 surgical pathology specimens in 1994.