Using Quality Assurance to Improve Outreach Patient Experience

By Kelley Luedke • July 18, 2014

Share this:

In the May/June issue of Medical Lab Management, Jane Hermansen, MBA, MT(ASCP), network manager for Mayo Medical Laboratories, bylined an article on the effects of quality assurance (QA) in the laboratory. Within the clinical laboratory, Mayo Medical Laboratories has historically focused QA efforts on maintaining analytic quality and patient safety, improving turnaround times, or increasing departmental efficiency.

Hermansen discusses the value of a systematic approach to using QA and considering the point of view of a patient seeking to access aspects of a laboratory outreach program. According to Hermansen, there are several important, qualitative points of contact that directly impact engagement and satisfaction, including:

• Access to information about the laboratory, its line of services, and its accessibility (advertising, print and, online resources)
• The patient’s experience at the physical Patient Service Center (draw site), including phlebotomy
• Access to test results, including timeliness and clarity
• Satisfaction with fees and billing processes

Additionally, Hermansen also discussed the importance of fostering patient satisfaction and effectively managing quality assurance projects. She explains a common tool used, DMAIC, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.

Read the full article to learn more about using quality assurance in outreach programs.

Kelley Luedke

Kelley Luedke is a Marketing Channel Manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. She is the principle editor and writer of Insights and leads social media and direct marketing strategy. Kelley has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2013. Outside of work, you can find Kelley running, traveling, playing with her kitty, and exploring new foods.