Improving Lab Efficiency at Orange Health Labs
Improving Lab Efficiency at Orange Health Labs
A tool for real-time milestone and alert system for seamless diagnostic lab workflow tracking and efficiency
A tool for real-time milestone and alert system for seamless diagnostic lab workflow tracking and efficiency
Client
Client
Orange Health Labs
Orange Health Labs
My Role
My Role
Product Designer
Product Designer
Project Type
Project Type
Core Lab Operations Tool
Core Lab Operations Tool
Project Duration
Project Duration
Jan 2023- Sept 2023
Jan 2023- Sept 2023
Impact
Impact
30% reduction in TAT breaches through timely alerts.
98% adoption of milestone tracking, ensuring no sample went unmarked.
Eliminated manual tracking, reducing errors and inefficiencies.
Improved lab visibility, leading to faster rerun processing and fewer delays.
30% reduction in TAT breaches through timely alerts.
98% adoption of milestone tracking, ensuring no sample went unmarked.
Eliminated manual tracking, reducing errors and inefficiencies.
Improved lab visibility, leading to faster rerun processing and fewer delays.
Problem Discovery
What is the core issue?
Sample processing delays in diagnostic labs aren't just about slow workflows, the bigger issue is lack of visibility and real-time tracking. This leads to missed turnaround times (TAT breaches), inefficiencies, and patient dissatisfaction.
20%
of lab technicians' time is spent locating misplaced samples.
36%
of diagnostic reports miss their TAT deadlines due to processing delays.
Who is impacted?
Lab Technicians
Need real-time tracking and instant alerts to prevent delays.
Patients & Doctors
Depend on timely test results for accurate medical decisions.
Operations Teams
Require workflow visibility to manage bottlenecks effectively.
Problem Discovery
What is the core issue?
Sample processing delays in diagnostic labs aren't just about slow workflows, the bigger issue is lack of visibility and real-time tracking. This leads to missed turnaround times (TAT breaches), inefficiencies, and patient dissatisfaction.
20%
of lab technicians' time is spent locating misplaced samples.
36%
of diagnostic reports miss their TAT deadlines due to processing delays.
Who is impacted?
Lab Technicians
Need real-time tracking and instant alerts to prevent delays.
Patients & Doctors
Depend on timely test results for accurate medical decisions.
Operations Teams
Require workflow visibility to manage bottlenecks effectively.
Project Roadmap
UNDERSTANDING THE USERS
Key insights from lab operations
Key insights from lab operations
Large diagnostic labs handle thousands of samples daily, making real-time tracking critical.
Lab technicians work in high-pressure environments, requiring a fast and intuitive UI.
Missed alerts or errors can lead to sample mismanagement and unnecessary reruns.
Large diagnostic labs handle thousands of samples daily, making real-time tracking critical.
Lab technicians work in high-pressure environments, requiring a fast and intuitive UI.
Missed alerts or errors can lead to sample mismanagement and unnecessary reruns.
Why is solving this crucial?
Why is solving this crucial?
By implementing real-time tracking, clear alerts, and milestone marking, we can eliminate delays, improve lab efficiency, and ensure timely patient care, creating a high-impact UX solution for lab operations.
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Lab technicians faced processing delays, TAT breaches, and misplaced samples due to outdated tracking software and lack of real-time alerts. Without a centralized system, inefficiencies led to reruns, bottlenecks, and slower patient results.
Lab technicians faced processing delays, TAT breaches, and misplaced samples due to outdated tracking software and lack of real-time alerts. Without a centralized system, inefficiencies led to reruns, bottlenecks, and slower patient results.
I used user interviews, observations, and surveys to understand lab technicians' and operation managers challenges and to identify bottlenecks, understand current tracking methods, and evaluate the usability of the outdated third-party software.
UX RESEARCH METHOD 01
User Interviews and Observations
Conducted 8 one-on-one interviews with lab technicians and operations managers.
Shadowed technicians across different work shifts to understand real-time pain points.
Analyzed interactions with the existing third-party tracking software.
Key Findings
Lack of real-time tracking
Technicians manually checked logs to track samples, often causing errors.
Outdated third-party software
The tracking system was slow, non-intuitive, and lacked real-time updates.
Missed critical alerts
TAT breach notifications were either delayed or unnoticed, leading to late test results.
Bottlenecks in workflow
Samples piled up at processing stages because there was no visibility into bottlenecks.
UX RESEARCH METHOD 02
User Surveys
To quantify the problem, I distributed a survey among 50 lab technicians to gather data on workflow inefficiencies. This helped quantify the scale of the problem and highlight recurring challenges.
Total Participants
54 lab technicians
Distribution
Online + In-person
Duration
2 weeks
Survey Findings
78% reported frequently struggling with misplaced or delayed samples.
65% said they missed important alerts due to poor system notifications.
78% reported frequently struggling with misplaced or delayed samples.
70% believed a centralized alert screen would help prioritize urgent cases.
I used user interviews, observations, and surveys to understand lab technicians' and operation managers challenges and to identify bottlenecks, understand current tracking methods, and evaluate the usability of the outdated third-party software.
UX RESEARCH METHOD 01
User Interviews and Observations
Conducted 8 one-on-one interviews with lab technicians and operations managers.
Shadowed technicians across different work shifts to understand real-time pain points.
Analyzed interactions with the existing third-party tracking software.
Key Findings
Lack of real-time tracking
Technicians manually checked logs to track samples, often causing errors.
Outdated third-party software
The tracking system was slow, non-intuitive, and lacked real-time updates.
Missed critical alerts
TAT breach notifications were either delayed or unnoticed, leading to late test results.
Bottlenecks in workflow
Samples piled up at processing stages because there was no visibility into bottlenecks.
UX RESEARCH METHOD 02
User Surveys
To quantify the problem, I distributed a survey among 50 lab technicians to gather data on workflow inefficiencies. This helped quantify the scale of the problem and highlight recurring challenges.
Total Participants
54 lab technicians
Distribution
Online + In-person
Duration
2 weeks
Survey Findings
78% reported frequently struggling with misplaced or delayed samples.
65% said they missed important alerts due to poor system notifications.
78% reported frequently struggling with misplaced or delayed samples.
70% believed a centralized alert screen would help prioritize urgent cases.
User interviews with each team also revealed their specific needs and day-to-day pain points in lab operations.
Customer Support
Logistics and Operations
Lab Processing
Customer Support
They handle customer queries, chat-based communication, and test scheduling. They work under pressure to ensure timely responses.
Needs
Real-time updates on customer interactions.
Alerts for delayed or missed messages
Easy-to-use tools for managing and scheduling tests
Pain Points
Missed chats due to lack of timely alerts
Scheduling conflicts and manual coordination errors
Difficulty resolving escalated customer issues quickly
The Solution
The research insights drove the creation of an intuitive, real-time tracking and alert system that helped lab technicians work more efficiently and reduce TAT breaches.
The research insights drove the creation of an intuitive, real-time tracking and alert system that helped lab technicians work more efficiently and reduce TAT breaches.
The solution includes:
The solution includes:
1
Designing a milestone-based marking system for real-time tracking.
Designing a milestone-based marking system for real-time tracking.
2
Creating a centralized alert screen to highlight urgent issues.
Creating a centralized alert screen to highlight urgent issues.
Display Systems
Display Systems
Large Systems
Large Systems
TVs
TVs
Location
Location
At strategic points within the lab for maximum visibility.
At strategic points within the lab for maximum visibility.
Content
Content
High-priority alerts, time-sensitive issues, and system statuses.
High-priority alerts, time-sensitive issues, and system statuses.
Workstation Displays
Workstation Displays
PCs & Tablets
PCs & Tablets
Location
Location
At individual workstations or shared spaces.
At individual workstations or shared spaces.
Content
Content
Detailed view of alerts, historical data, and resolution actions.
Detailed view of alerts, historical data, and resolution actions.
Sample Journey
Sample Journey
KEY FEATURES
KEY FEATURES
Milestone Marking
Real-Time Sample Progress Tracking
Milestone Marking
Real-Time Sample Progress Tracking
Milestone marking allows lab technicians to log each critical step in the sample processing workflow, from received to completion.
Milestone marking allows lab technicians to log each critical step in the sample processing workflow, from received to completion.
Previously, technicians relied on manual tracking or outdated third-party software, which caused delays, lack of visibility, and increased errors.
Previously, technicians relied on manual tracking or outdated third-party software, which caused delays, lack of visibility, and increased errors.
Impact
Impact
Eliminated manual logging, leading to a 100% adoption of milestone tracking.
Eliminated manual logging, leading to a 100% adoption of milestone tracking.
Info Panel
Quick & Comprehensive Sample Details
Info Panel
Quick & Comprehensive Sample Details
When a sample is scanned, the Info Panel displays all relevant test details, including the test type, test status and sample status.
When a sample is scanned, the Info Panel displays all relevant test details, including the test type, test status and sample status.
Technicians previously had to refer to physical logs or external software, leading to delays and potential mix-ups.
Technicians previously had to refer to physical logs or external software, leading to delays and potential mix-ups.
Impact
Impact
Accelerated sample processing and reduced dependency on slow, outdated software.
Accelerated sample processing and reduced dependency on slow, outdated software.
Alert Screen
Proactive TAT Breach Prevention
Alert Screen
Proactive TAT Breach Prevention
The centralized dashboard highlights critical alerts, including TAT breaches, delayed samples that need immediate attention and pending milestones,
The centralized dashboard highlights critical alerts, including TAT breaches, delayed samples that need immediate attention and pending milestones,
Previously, TAT breaches were only detected after they occurred or when customers reported delays, leading to disruptions in urgent test results.
Previously, TAT breaches were only detected after they occurred or when customers reported delays, leading to disruptions in urgent test results.
Impact
Impact
30% reduction in TAT breaches, ensuring faster processing of critical tests.
30% reduction in TAT breaches, ensuring faster processing of critical tests.
Testing
Alerting Screen Improvements
Info Screen Improvements
Improved Variant
Follows the technician’s natural workflow. Alerts are grouped by issue type, and urgency is determined by how close a task is to breaching its timeline helping technicians prioritize quickly.
Discarded Variant
While visually cleaner, this version grouped alerts by both criticality and type resulting in a vertical layout that was harder for technicians to scan and act on quickly.
Testing
Alerting Screen Improvements
Info Screen Improvements
Improved Variant
Follows the technician’s natural workflow. Alerts are grouped by issue type, and urgency is determined by how close a task is to breaching its timeline helping technicians prioritize quickly.
Discarded Variant
While visually cleaner, this version grouped alerts by both criticality and type resulting in a vertical layout that was harder for technicians to scan and act on quickly.
Key Outcomes
Key Outcomes
Operational Efficiency
Operational Efficiency
Eliminated manual tracking and outdated software, leading to smoother workflows.
Eliminated manual tracking and outdated software, leading to smoother workflows.
Increased Visibility
Increased Visibility
Technicians and supervisors had real-time insights into sample statuses.
Technicians and supervisors had real-time insights into sample statuses.
Faster Issue Resolution
Faster Issue Resolution
Proactive alerts helped reduce delays and prevent TAT breaches.
Proactive alerts helped reduce delays and prevent TAT breaches.
100% Adoption Rate
100% Adoption Rate
The system was quickly embraced by lab teams due to its user-friendly design.
The system was quickly embraced by lab teams due to its user-friendly design.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Designing for Operational Impact
Designing for Operational Impact
This was the first time I saw how my design work could directly reduce delays and make people’s jobs easier.
This was the first time I saw how my design work could directly reduce delays and make people’s jobs easier.
The Power of Real Time Visibility
The Power of Real Time Visibility
I learned how critical real time visibility is in high pressure environments. Seeing one alert change a workflow in seconds showed me how small UX decisions create big impact.
I learned how critical real time visibility is in high pressure environments. Seeing one alert change a workflow in seconds showed me how small UX decisions create big impact.
100 Percent Adoption Takes Patience and Feedback
100 Percent Adoption Takes Patience and Feedback
I learned that good products aren’t made all at once. They grow through testing and improving over time.
I learned that good products aren’t made all at once. They grow through testing and improving over time.
Next Steps
Multi-Lab Scalability
Multi-Lab Scalability
Centralize lab operations across multiple locations.
Centralize lab operations across multiple locations.
Workflow Expansion
Workflow Expansion
Extend tracking to cover pre- and post-lab stages like sample collection, transport and report delivery.
Extend tracking to cover pre- and post-lab stages like sample collection, transport and report delivery.
Advanced Dashboards & Insights
Advanced Dashboards & Insights
Enable customizable dashboards, bottleneck visualization, and auto-generated performance reports.
Enable customizable dashboards, bottleneck visualization, and auto-generated performance reports.
Predictive Alerts
Predictive Alerts
Create smart alerts that spot possible TAT delays early, helping teams act before issues arise.
Create smart alerts that spot possible TAT delays early, helping teams act before issues arise.
Final Notes
Final Notes
By replacing slow, outdated third-party tools with a real-time tracking system, the Milestone Tracking & Alert System transformed lab efficiency, reduced TAT breaches, and improved workflow efficiency.
By replacing slow, outdated third-party tools with a real-time tracking system, the Milestone Tracking & Alert System transformed lab efficiency, reduced TAT breaches, and improved workflow efficiency.