Driving pathology efficiency: service configuration and point-of-care testing

This year, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics hosted a brace of user-focused meetings. A two-day process management event was held at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel at Heathrow, while in Coventry an analyser launch event was combined with a meeting to consider the latest developments in point-of-care testing.

The two-day process management forum, chaired by Dr Mike Bosomworth (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust), saw a panel of international scientists, managers and thought-leaders from pathology come together to share experiences and gain insight into the process improvement journey. It was agreed that while some progress has been made, much remains to be done to improve process efficiency and the patient pathway.

The meeting examined the issues facing laboratory management and how to address the increasing pressures of network reconfiguration, consolidation and cost-reduction, while improving quality at all stages of service delivery. The need for an holistic, visionary approach was emphasised, which it was suggested must be accompanied by transparent change in order to consolidate, commercialise and modernise services.