Reagent usage optimization In high volume diagnostics testing

Abstract

Company X provides healthcare diagnostics testing services. The company competes in the market by providing cost effective, short turn-around-time (TAT) solutions and a large variety of test selections. Reducing operating costs is a major area of ongoing improvement for Company X, and this effort includes reducing reagent costs in high volume diagnostics platforms across the nation. The objective of this thesis is to identify the major causes of reagent waste, and reduce unnecessary reagent consumption on a specific high volume testing platform which can test multiple different assays. The project targeted finding measures to mitigate reagent waste which can be employed in all sites. The current state analysis identified quality control testing that exceeded regulatory requirements and minimum standards defined in the SOPs and unoptimized distribution of assays to instruments as causes of unnecessary reagent consumption. The analysis also identified patient tests repeated due to mechanical errors in the instruments as another cause of reagent waste. Countermeasures are developed to mitigate these issues. In order to reduce reagent consumption due to superfluous quality control testing, a workflow study is conducted. The workflow study targets the minimization of quality control testing and instrument calibrations by optimizing the load distribution over similar instruments within a laboratory site. The optimal distribution of patient test volumes to instruments is modeled and solved as a linear programming problem. In addition to workflow optimization, process standardization and preventive maintenance strategies are explored.