Your medical lab analyzes a lot of samples every day. If you’re used to running all the tests in house, you might wonder if there’s a more efficient way to perform these procedures. Outsourcing some of your services might be right for your laboratory. Examine the pros and cons of outsourcing your lab tech services here:
Pro: Cost Savings
Transitioning from in-house testing to outsourcing can save your facility money. Labs at smaller and midsize hospitals, as well as facilities such as physician group practices, can see the biggest cost benefits from partnering with larger labs. That’s because larger labs can process samples more efficiently. Outsourcing specific tasks can allow a smaller lab to focus on their own specializations and necessary services.
Con: Less Control
When you rely on another laboratory for tech services, you have less control of the process and outcomes. Rather than keeping all the responsibility and authority within your own lab, you’ll have to coordinate with the other lab if needed, which means more chances for miscommunication.
You can make your loss of control less of an issue by choosing to partner with a respectable medical lab. As in any other industry, professionalism is the key to a good experience.
Pro: Potential to Run Tests More Often
Smaller medical labs might run specific tests once or twice a week. This might mean a hold on analyses, delaying answers for healthcare providers and patients. On the other hand, larger operations can handle those tests more regularly—maybe even several times a day. This decreases the time between sample submission and test results. Improved turnaround time can improve patient outcomes.
Con: Potential Quality Control Difficulties
Just as working with an outside lab means you have less control over how specimens get processed, you’ll also have less control over the quality of the work. Medical labs adhere to regulatory guidelines, but your in-house quality control metrics might differ from those of an outside lab. Once again, partnering with the right lab is important. Research potential candidates before trusting them to uphold your expected standards.
As you can see from this list, the pros and cons of outsourcing your lab tech services make this decision potentially highly rewarding but also complicated. However, outsourcing can make a positive financial difference for your business and partnering with the right lab can help you efficiently attain results.
Lighthouse Lab Services is the premier end-to-end medical laboratory consulting firm. Our laboratory startup consultants can help you take advantage of opportunities to boost your bottom line and maintain quality service.
Contact us today for a free consultation.