Effect of Machine Sharing in Medical Laboratories

Abstract

While medical research continuously develops new and innovative analysis methods, investing in new competence and resources is costly and challenging with the rigid budgeting of healthcare systems. This, combined with an increasing demand for healthcare services, implies an increasing need for efficient utilization of existing resources, while maintaining the quality of service. Being organized by medical skills rather than by processes, the different departments may carry out similar processes, and, thus, require similar resources. This study aims to investigate the effects of resource sharing on medical laboratory performance. Medical laboratories are often the first part of the diagnostics and treatment processes, contributing with information obtained from analyzing patients’ biological samples, such as blood, urine, or tissue. A case study, including a quantitative simulation analysis, has been performed at a large Scandinavian medical laboratory, where the current situation of each department having their own DNA isolation machine has been compared to a hypothetical future situation where the machines are shared by centralizing the process. Results suggest that resource sharing can reduce time and cost but may reduce the mix flexibility and the quality of the analyses carried out. Resource sharing will also increase the complexity of operations. This study contributes to increased knowledge on the effects of machine sharing in medical laboratories and demonstrates how simulation may be used to justify investments.