Goal
Map where time disappears between order and report, then fix each stage with sample tracking, auto-captured results and templates.
In short
Turnaround time (TAT) is the time from order or sample receipt to a released report. Most delay is not in the analyzer; it is in waiting, labelling, transport, transcription and validation. DevOrbital HMS addresses these with one order-to-report workflow, barcoded samples, scoped analyzer interfacing, templates and a shared queue for walk-ins and Emergency cases.
The challenge
Manual order slips, handwritten labels and batch transport mean a sample can wait before processing even begins.
If results are copied from analyzer printouts into a report, each value adds time and risk. Urgent reports compete with routine work for the same keyboard.
Emergency and inpatient samples need to jump the queue, but without a shared system, priority depends on who shouts loudest.
When a doctor calls to ask about a report, staff search benches and registers. That interruption is itself a delay.
Recommended systems
Outcomes
Barcoded labels and electronic orders remove manual hand-offs before the bench.
Auto-captured analyzer results, where interfaced, and report templates for the rest, reduce retyping.
Walk-ins and high-priority Emergency cases share one queue, so the lab sees what needs attention first.
Anyone with access can check where a sample or report stands without disturbing the bench.
Rollout
Separate time to collect, time to receive, time to result and time to release so you know where delay really sits.
Move ordering and labelling into the LIS with barcodes so every sample is identified from the start.
Set up report templates and validation steps so typed results are quick and consistent.
Start with the instruments carrying the highest volume, scoping and testing each one before live use.
Watch pending lists and adjust staffing, batching and priority rules based on what the data shows.
In practice
Illustrative scenario · not a customer story
An urgent sample at shift change
Lab in-charge
At shift change, an emergency sample arrives with a high-priority flag. The lab in-charge sees it at the top of the shared queue next to routine walk-ins. The barcode label ties the tube to the right patient. When the analyzer completes the run, the result appears in the system for validation, and the report is released from a template. The treating doctor sees it on the patient record without a phone call. The routine queue continues behind it. This is an illustrative composite, not a real lab.
Turnaround time (TAT) is usually measured from order or sample receipt to the release of a report. It is made up of stages: collection, transport, accessioning, analysis, validation and release. The analyzer itself is often the fastest step. The rest are waiting and handling, which is where software can help.
Our guide to reducing lab turnaround time breaks these stages down, and the laboratory information system guide explains the underlying workflow. In DevOrbital HMS, the laboratory information system runs the order-to-report path on one workflow that also serves other diagnostic specialties.
Barcoded sample labels tie each tube to an order the moment it is collected. This reduces manual matching at the bench and prevents mix-ups. See barcode and QR scanning and our article on barcode sample tracking in the lab.
Where an analyzer has a compatible output interface, results can be captured automatically instead of retyped. Commonly used protocols include ASTM and HL7, but whether a given instrument can be connected is assessed per device. Details are on the lab analyzer integration page. Where no interface exists, manual entry, typed reports and templates keep the workflow moving, and no machine dependency is forced.
A shared queue with visible priority is the simplest control. Walk-ins and Emergency cases enter the same diagnostic queue in DevOrbital HMS, so the lab sees them together. The emergency and casualty module provides a colour-coded triage board upstream, and ward orders from IPD management reach the lab electronically.
The improvement loop matters as much as the tool. Review pending lists, look at which stage accumulates delay, and adjust staffing or batching. If your lab operates independently of a hospital, see how this applies to diagnostic centres and pathology labs.
FAQ
No. Turnaround depends on your staffing, volumes, instruments and processes. The software removes avoidable manual steps and makes delays visible, but we do not promise a number.
Not to begin. Barcoded samples, electronic orders and report templates help even with manual result entry. Analyzer interfacing then removes retyping for the instruments you connect.
Yes. Walk-ins and high-priority Emergency cases enter the same queue, so priority is visible to the lab team.
Order, sample and result status are captured in the workflow, which lets you see pending items by stage. Specific TAT reports are configured per lab.
Yes. Diagnostics share one order-to-report workflow, so the same queueing and template approach applies to radiology, cardiology and endoscopy.
Keep exploring
Lab & Diagnostics
How to Reduce Lab Turnaround Time in a Hospital Lab
● DevOrbital HMS
Lab & Diagnostics · 6 min read
Practical ways to reduce lab turnaround time: define TAT, find delays in the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical stages, and fix them.
Read this guideLab & Diagnostics
LIS Analyzer Interfacing: ASTM and HL7 Explained
● DevOrbital HMS
Lab & Diagnostics · 7 min read
How LIS analyzer interfacing works: ASTM and HL7 messages, serial and TCP/IP links, test mapping, staged testing and what to ask a vendor first.
Read this guideLab & Diagnostics
Barcode Sample Tracking in Labs: A Practical Guide
● DevOrbital HMS
Lab & Diagnostics · 7 min read
How barcode sample tracking works in a hospital lab: label design, collection, receipt scanning, rejections, analyzer matching and a rollout plan.
Read this guideTell us about your facility and we will walk you through the modules that fit — one department or the whole hospital.
