Case Study: A Model of Workflow Optimization and Staff Utilization

Swedish Hospital, Illinois, USA

When Swedish Hospital faced rising healthcare costs and a technologist shortage, its multidisciplinary lab started a steady course of investment to improve workflows and better utilize medically trained and nontechnical staff. Today, a powerful combination of diagnostic innovation, advanced data management practices, and total laboratory automation enables the lab to do less but accomplish more.

Swedish Hospital

Serving a multicultural population of more than 2.7 million people speaking 40 different languages on the northwest side of Chicago, Swedish Hospital serves its community with a Level 2 trauma center, general and open-heart surgeries, two birthing units, in- and outpatient oncology care, mental health services, hospice care, and community outreach programs. CAP has consistently ranked Swedish Hospital’s lab among the top 10% for cost-effectiveness, turnaround times (TAT), and specimen acceptability in peer comparisons from 2000 to 2020.

    Standardized Processes with Atellica Data Manager

    Can laboratory IT software make a significant difference in a lab that is already reaping the workflow benefits of technologically advanced diagnostic analyzers and total laboratory automation? Atellica® Data Manager is helping Swedish Hospital’s lab achieve new levels of efficiency.*

    Susan Dawson Lab Director, Swedish Hospital, USA

    Videos

    Next-level Efficiency with Atellica Solution

    How can a diagnostic analyzer make a significant difference in a lab that is also reaping the workflow benefits of inte-grated IT and total laboratory automation? Swedish Hospital is also achieving new levels of efficiency* for chemistry and immunoassay testing with Atellica® Solution.

    Game-changing Diagnostics Video (01:21)

    Two Atellica Solution systems connected to Aptio® Automation provide the technological innovation needed to move the lab into the future. The integrated system combines flexible configurations of independently operating chemistry and immunoassay modules on a single platform that features unique STAT handling capabilities. The high throughput of Atellica Solution has enabled Swedish Hospital to expand its chemistry and immunoassay testing capacity by 15% (vs. legacy instrumentation) and uses only two of the available automation touchpoints. The game-changing diagnostic platform has enabled Swedish Hospital to achieve new levels of efficiency for both doctors and staff.

    Complete Story

    This case study examines how Atellica Solution, Aptio Automation, and Atellica Data Manager have helped to simplify operations and enable Swedish Hospital to transform into a model laboratory for workflow optimization and staff satisfaction. A powerful combination of diagnostic innovation, advanced data management practices, and total laboratory automation—refined over more than decade—enables the lab to do less but accomplish more.

    Why read this case study?

    Learn how a mid-sized community hospital lab transformed into a model for workflow optimiza-tion and staff satisfaction.

    • What has delivered new levels of efficiency?
    • What is their secret for quality?
    • What were the keys to success?
    • What are their plans for the future?

    Valuable Insights on Middleware

    Learn the lab director’s thoughts on:

    • Validating results in the middleware
    • The impact of automation on operational efficiency
    • Increasing staff focus, engagement, and motivation

    Game-changing Diagnostics

    How has the move to an integrated testing plat-form affected this multi-disciplinary lab?


    • Speed TAT for critical tests.
    • Simplify QC management.
    • Save time and reduce work.
    • Create room in a space-constrained lab.