Date
12-19-2024
Department
School of Health Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (PhD)
Chair
Rana Walley
Keywords
automated, barcode, cassette, error, implementation, patient, reduction
Disciplines
Laboratory and Basic Science Research | Medicine and Health Sciences
Recommended Citation
Pruitt, Kiaya Symonné, "A Quantitative Approach to Determining the Reduction Rate of Cassette Labeling Errors Within a Surgical Pathology Diagnostic Laboratory" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6348.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6348
Abstract
Cassette labeling errors within a surgical pathology laboratory can affect patient safety variously, including invalid patient results. In order to diminish these errors, automated systems have been placed in surgical pathology laboratories. However, there is no current research on reducing cassette labeling errors within a surgical pathology laboratory that possesses a partial automated system without a LIS connection. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine if there is a statistically significant reduction in pathology cassette labeling errors during different phases of the barcode system (an automated system) implementation for cassette creation. A nonexperimental correlational design was used for the current study. The study examined 12 months of Specimen Problem Logs from July 2022 until July 2023 at a surgical pathology laboratory in Memphis, TN. The data was analyzed using the Univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests. The study concluded that there was no statistically significant reduction in cassette labeling errors during the pre-, transitional, and post-implementation of barcode scanning for cassette creation within a surgical pathology laboratory. However, the current study was able to provide statistical numerical data, highlight the transitioning periods of implementing the automated within a surgical pathology laboratory, and show the necessity of fully automating laboratories in order to succeed in reducing cassette labeling errors and possibly other errors not associated with cassette labeling errors. Future recommended studies include examining the site turnover rate and employee performance, studying the transition into a fully automated system linked to LIS with the same site as the current study, studying multiple sites within the same scope, and increasing the sample size.
