Case Studies & Testimonials
Case Studies
Goal
Determine a more efficient and cost effective method for ensuring that monthly antibody testing is being done on all candidates on the wait list for deceased donor kidney, kidney/pancreas and pancreas transplants.
Choosing Path-Tec
By reaching out to peer HLA labs, we identified two companies that could potentially meet our specific needs, one of them being Path-Tec. We thoroughly investigated offerings from both vendors. We compared several different variables – cost, services offered, reporting tools, reliability, etc. After all the research was complete, our team at UAB determined that Path-Tec would be able to meet our unique needs and help us continue to provide our patients and dialysis units the high level of service which they are accustomed.
Process Improvement
The project team decided to look specifically at how specimen integrity and sample return rate would be affected by the implementation of the Path-Tec system. The baseline specimen integrity analysis indicated a current rejection rate of 19% (338 total specimens rejected out of 1780 total specimens received). One of the target goals established was to decrease the number of samples rejected by 75%, from 19% to 5% or less. The second target goal identified was to increase the current sample return rate from an average of 50% (1780 samples received out of 3500 kits sent) to a target of 80% or higher. This data would be collected by team members on a monthly basis by monitoring both the Path-Tec website and the HLA lab’s sample registry.
Outcome
Throughout the course of this process improvement, we implemented rapid change cycles as needed. As we monitored specimen integrity (i.e. samples with no date, samples with no requisition, hemolyzed samples, those with only one identifier) changes were made to the request form three times to assist with specimen integrity and return rate. As of July 2014, we reached our goal of decreasing the rejection rate by 75%. We are meeting our original target of 5% or less rejection rate. Before Path-Tec was implemented, we had an average return rate of approximately 50%. Our average return rate is now approximately 80%. We will continue to track sample rejections and return rate on a monthly basis and improve our process as necessary.
About AIT Laboratories
AIT Laboratories, a HealthTrackRx company, has developed a reputation for supplying solutions that make life easier for healthcare providers while cutting costs for payers. Despite being a leading clinical prescription drug monitoring laboratory, the team faced a logistical nightmare. An out-of-date specimen management process resulted in an inefficient package processing procedure, difficulties finding important data in a timely fashion, and an inability to run reporting on client spending and inventory. Implementing SpectraPath, a specimen management system created by Path-Tec, helped the AIT Laboratories team work around these issues.
AIT Solutions
As the rate of opioid abuse continues to increase, healthcare providers must be extremely vigilant in servicing patients suffering from drug addiction disorder. According to the CDC, drug poisoning now causes more deaths in the U.S. than guns and cars. AIT Laboratories is a leading clinical solutions company striving to improve health outcomes and patient care. The company helps providers mitigate risk in treating substance use disorders through prevention, testing and maintaining.
Physicians all over the country rely on AIT Laboratories to provide testing and confirmation services with results that enrich routine monitoring processes and yield more effective treatment plans.
Choosing SpectraPath
Before trying SpectraPath, tedious package and data tracking processes impeded efficiency. Each day, the AIT Laboratories ascension team spent four to five hours manually entering package data (tracking numbers, client address info, specimen counts) into Excel spreadsheets. Implementing SpectraPath dramatically cut down that package processing time. The new system allows package information to be scanned into a portal that auto populates, requiring minimal manual data entry. This helped the AIT Laboratories ascension team reach new levels of efficiency, since they now process samples n to three hours faster.
Another major issue AIT Laboratories faced was finding specific pieces of information among an ever-growing library of Excel spreadsheets. Despite its careful data entry process, the company still had issues locating package information when troubleshooting an issue. Because SpectraPath helps AIT Laboratories store its package information in a single, easily-searchable database, the team can efficiently and accurately troubleshoot issues.
Lastly, SpectraPath gave the team the ability to run in-depth reporting. Access to additional reporting has helped AIT Laboratories cut costs–preventing over-ordering and simplifying client inventory management. Reporting gives AIT Laboratories important client spending data that can be used to maintain profitable customer relationships.
SpectraPath was designed to help you effectively manage all your clients’ pre-analytical supply and specimen management needs. This comprehensive web-based technology platform allows you to gain efficiency and make better business decisions through features like order, distribution, inventory and specimen management, among several other cost and timesaving features.
About Path-Tec
Path-Tec is the lone reliable source for cost-effective, efficient and easy to implement specimen management solutions across a wide range of laboratory environments. Path-Tec supports many types of labs such as veterinarians, pain management and stem cell research laboratories.
Testimonials
“As an integral business partner and our largest supplier over the last 8 years, we have put the trust of our customers in the hands of Path-Tec and time after time, they have delivered. Our business has grown double digits over the past two consecutive years and Path-Tec has risen to the occasion without hesitation. From quality products and customer service excellence to collaboration and execution on new opportunities, Path-Tec has been and continues to be part of our success and a true business partner.”
“After comparing several vendors, our team determined that Path-Tec would best meet our unique needs as we continue to provide our patients and dialysis units the high level of service to which they are accustomed. We are now meeting our original target of 5% or less rejection rate. Path-Tec has helped us improve our return rate nearly 60%. This has greatly improved client satisfaction levels and has proven to be a great return on our investment.”
“Path-Tec’s technology platform is highly advanced, extremely user-friendly, and has provided a complete set of client and specimen management tools for us to utilize. SpectraPath has helped us reduce waste and increase efficiency beyond our expectations.”
“As an integral business partner, we have put the trust of our customers in the hands of Path-Tec and time after time, they have delivered. From quality products and customer service excellence to collaboration and execution on new opportunities, Path-Tec has been and continues to be part of our success and a true business partner.”
