Development of a turnaround time dashboard for blood tests

Abstract

Turnaround time (TAT) is a critical performance indicator in laboratory medicine, directly influencing clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Delays in reporting can compromise timely treatment, particularly for urgent or life-threatening conditions where rapid laboratory results are essential. Despite this importance, most laboratories monitor TAT retrospectively and primarily through median values, offering limited insight into workflow inefficiencies. This study developed and evaluated a business intelligence dashboard for real-time and retrospective TAT monitoring, aligning with digital health initiatives that leverage data-driven tools to enhance healthcare quality and patient safety. Data extracted from the Laboratory Information System (LIS) was transformed into key performance indicators, including median TAT, compliance with thresholds, and phase-specific data. Semi-structured interviews with laboratory managers informed indicator selection and guided user-centred dashboard design. Usability testing with laboratory staff assessed clarity, relevance, and ease of use. By transforming raw LIS data into actionable insights, the dashboard demonstrated potential to reduce diagnostic delays, ensure more timely reporting of critical results, and strengthen clinical decision-making, thereby supporting improved patient outcomes. Future work should expand the range of indicators, test scalability across diverse laboratory contexts, and explore predictive analytics to enable early intervention in potential delays.