Testing as a business.
WHAT DETERMINES VIABILITY
Test volume Cost per test Turnaround time Accuracy and reputation
WHY VOLUME DOMINATES
Equipment and staff are largely fixed costs.
WHAT TO CALCULATE PER TEST
Reagents and consumables Staff time Equipment cost apportioned Quality control costs
WHAT QUALITY CONTROL REQUIRES
Running controls alongside patient samples Recording results Acting when controls fail
WHY IT MATTERS
Without it, you cannot know whether results are correct.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Control procedures for every test offered.
WHAT TO DO WHEN CONTROLS FAIL
Stop reporting that test until resolved.
WHY
Reporting wrong results causes clinical harm.
WHAT SAMPLE HANDLING REQUIRES
Correct identification at collection Correct containers and preservation Timely transport Recorded chain of handling
WHY IDENTIFICATION MATTERS MOST
Mislabelled samples produce results attributed to the wrong patient.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Labelling at the point of collection, verified against the patient.
WHAT TURNAROUND TIME AFFECTS
Clinical usefulness and referrer satisfaction.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Time from collection to result.
WHO SENDS YOU WORK
Clinicians and facilities.
WHAT THEY JUDGE
Accuracy, turnaround and how problems are handled.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Relationships with referrers, and a route for them to query results.
WHAT TO RECORD
Every sample, result and report issued.
WHAT TO RETAIN
Records and, where required, samples.
