Industry Insights
Don’t “Just Do It” - Do It Right The First Time
October 17, 2024
Catalytic Serendipity vs. Compounded Gotchas and the Law of Unanticipated Consequential Effects
Catalytic: Refers to an agent or condition that increases the rate of another action or reaction without the agent, itself, being affected.
Serendipity: The condition of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought after.
Catalytic Serendipity: A condition that increases the rate or probability of unexpected pleasant outcomes or events.
Compounded: To accrue interest; to add or accumulate.
Gotchas: Definition from “golf” – an unpleasant event or consequence.
Compounded Gotchas: The condition of added or accumulated unpleasant outcomes or events.
Consequential Effects: Events or occurrences that are derived in some unexpected way from preceding acts or events.
In this world, there are two ways to do things: the RIGHT way and the WRONG way.
According to some law of nature, when something is done the RIGHT way, it seems that several unanticipated and unintentional benefits are often derived from this very same act.
For example, you take the time to validate the LIS laboratory information system database and provide links to a very large set of laboratory data, much of which has not been requested but you feel the need to be more thorough and complete. Then, several months later, a crisis arises and your boss needs LIS lab data that normally is not available without a considerable amount of effort and delay.
Coincidently (or is it?), the data linkages that you created beforehand now provide you with the exact mechanism to easily access the required data. You extract the data from the lab information system in just a few minutes and present it to your incredulous (and very grateful) boss. You are a HERO!
Learn More: Transforming Patient Care: The Power of Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) in Healthcare
This is the antithetical corollary to Murphy’s Law (if things can go wrong, they will). It states, “If you do something right and do it well, you’ll find/experience unanticipated beneficial events” (or if things are done right, they will prevent unexpected wrongs). Therefore doing something right and well the first time often does lead to a state of catalytic serendipity.
However, if something is done in an uncaring, incomplete, or slipshod way, it almost always will undoubtedly be afflicted with a case of “compounded gotchas.”
Here’s a case to highlight my point: The incomplete testing of backup and recovery and the delay in writing the backup/recovery procedures.
This is, indeed, a sad tale. The testing of the backup and recovery process was given short attention. After all, no one expects LIS system software to fail. Only a few major points of LIS software failure were tested and documentation of the procedures for recovery was ultimately deferred relative to more “important” issues.
Learn More: What You Need to Know Before Contracting with a Laboratory Information System (LIS) Company
Needless to say, at a critical period and during peak workload times the LIS system crashed. No one knew how to recover the data or properly restart this critical pathology lab management system. Further, several, new major outreach clients, comprising almost 70 percent of projected outreach revenues, were using the laboratory information system software. These clients subsequently took their business elsewhere. And, if that was not enough, lawsuits were filed against the laboratory on behalf of these and other clients.
Learn More: Is Your Laboratory Information System and Lab Vendor Holding Your Laboratory Hostage?
No one anticipated the immensity of the “fallout” and the impact of a seemingly minor oversight. Luckily, this scenario was a fabrication (at least I think it was!), although it could have happened as a result of the Law of Unanticipated Consequential Effects.
Be wise. Be aware. Be thorough. Do it right!
Mr. Winsten (MS, FHIMSS, FCLMA) is president of Dennis Winsten & Associates., an independent healthcare information systems consulting firm with headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. He has over 40 years of computer experience including over 30 years in healthcare systems.
The Best Labs, and the Best LIS Software Vendors, Take the Time to Do it Right
At LigoLab, we fully endorse what our colleague, Dennis, has written above. Within the medical laboratory environment, there simply is no more for shortcuts and cutting corners.
With that in mind, here are a few examples of how adhering to best practices and "doing the right thing" in a medical lab can yield unexpectedly positive outcomes.
Double-Checking Sample Labeling - A lab tech notices a small discrepancy in the labeling of a blood sample and, following protocol, decides to double-check with the physician. This extra step reveals a mix-up with another patient’s sample, which could have led to a misdiagnosis. The tech’s diligence not only averts potential harm but also earns the lab praise from the hospital, leading to increased trust and more referrals.
Learn More: How Pathology Specimen Tracking System Software is Reducing Lab Errors & Enhancing Patient Safety
Prioritizing Quality over Quantity - A clinical lab implements a stricter quality control (QC) process that slows down initial turnaround times but improves accuracy. Soon after, doctors notice more reliable results and fewer cases of retesting, leading to faster, more effective patient treatment. The lab gains a reputation for quality, attracting more clients and possibly even funding for upgraded equipment due to its demonstrated commitment to high standards.
Learn More: Top 10 Medical Laboratory Mistakes and How to Prevent Them from Happening in Your Lab
Documenting and Reporting a Small Issue - A lab worker observes a slight inconsistency in the calibration of a lab instrument. Instead of overlooking it, the worker follows protocol and reports it. Upon investigation, it’s discovered that the calibration error was affecting a small subset of tests. Fixing it improves accuracy across the board, and the lab receives positive feedback from clinicians who notice improved consistency in test results.
Learn More: Four Game-Changing Business Strategies to Improve Laboratory Processes
Emphasizing Patient Privacy and Data Security - During a routine audit, a lab staff member notices a minor breach in data security protocol and takes steps to fix it immediately. A few weeks later, the lab undergoes an official review and passes with flying colors due to its proactive security measures. The lab gains recognition for its commitment to patient privacy, building trust and attracting clients who value data security.
Learn More: LigoLab’s Enhanced Cybersecurity Solutions Give Customers Added Protection and Peace-of-Mind
As you can plainly see from these examples, small steps can result in big rewards that positively impact patient safety, lab reputation, and client relationships, leading to steady lab growth and profitability.
LigoLab: Transforming Labs with Cutting-Edge LIS Software Solutions
LigoLab also takes great pride in doing the right thing, delivering advanced, end-to-end pathology lab software tailored for medical laboratories. Our comprehensive, enterprise-grade LigoLab LIS & RCM Laboratory Informatics Platform™ encompasses modules for anatomic pathology (LIS pathology), clinical laboratory (LIS medical), molecular diagnostics (molecular LIS), laboratory revenue cycle management (lab RCM/lab billing), and direct-to-consumer lab testing (via TestDirectly and TestDirectly.com), providing lab leaders with unified informatics platform applications that seamlessly support every role, department, and case.
Learn More: Navigating the Future of Pathology: The LigoLab Advantage
