Case Study: UC Davis Health achieves faster turnaround times with ARUP Laboratories consulting

UC Davis Health cuts >5-day surgical pathology TATs by 30% with ARUP Laboratories

UC Davis Health's Anatomic Pathology Department faced increasing turnaround times (TATs) and a significant workload backlog, despite staff working at over capacity. To address this, they engaged ARUP Laboratories and utilized its no-cost Healthcare Advisory Services consulting program to conduct an external operational review.

The ARUP consulting team performed a three-day on-site analysis, interviewing staff and observing workflows. Their key recommendations included several staffing changes, such as hiring a grossing room supervisor and additional cytotechnologists, and process improvements like adding a second processing run. As a result, UC Davis Health achieved a greater than 30% reduction in the percentage of surgical pathology cases exceeding a five-day TAT. These improvements have been sustained for two years, allowing the department to retain its staff and even take on a new training affiliation.

UC Davis Health