Lab order to results in 16 minutes? You heard right!

Six Sigma, an approach to performance improvement that originated in the manufacturing sector, is being applied readily to the ED environment. Turnaround time for ED lab specimens is reduced by 30 minutes. Many ED processes have multiple steps. Six Sigma approach identifies subprocesses for targeted improvement. Data-heavy analysis eliminates the emotional component of problem solving. Bedside nurses and phlebotomists all are equipped with pagers to speed the process of getting blood samples to the lab.