Enhancing efficiency in the coagulation testing lab: Strategies for managing high workloads and improving turnaround times

• Coagulation labs play a critical role in the diagnosis of blood disorders but high workloads and extended timelines can delay the delivery of diagnostic results
• Manual processes, limited resources, and lack of standardization can lead to human errors and hold up turnaround times 
• Coagulation lab leaders must work with partners to incorporate automation to improve operational efficiency and impact patient outcomes

Coagulation labs are vital for diagnosing bleeding and clotting disorders and guiding treatment. They help manage conditions like hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and clot risk, support anticoagulant therapy, and prevent serious complications.

However, coagulation labs are experiencing increased pressure from an aging population with longer life expectancies.¹ Reports indicate that the global aging population is rapidly increasing. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double to 2.1 billion and the number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 426 million.¹

Unfortunately, the increased demand on labs has been difficult to keep up with, largely due to continued reliance on error-prone manual procedures and inconsistent testing standards. Combined with a lack of connectivity to information systems and limited resources, this leads to variable and often delayed turnaround times for diagnostic tests.²

Longer timelines can dramatically affect lab operations and ultimately impact patient care.³ To meet the growing demands on labs, managers, and directors must implement practical strategies that incorporate advanced technologies and automation into their day-to-day work so that workflows remain efficient with a shorter time to results.

Today’s coagulation labs are strained with inefficient utilization of resources and staff labor. A key solution to manage high workloads is automation, helping reduce tedious, manual processes that can lead to human errors. Furthermore, integrating automated systems that can rapidly and accurately detect clot formation or the activity of coagulation factors streamlines entire workflows at all phases (preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical).^4,5 This offers labs an opportunity to improve output and accelerate turnaround times.

Automation supports lean lab principles: optimizing space, staff time, and equipment and resource usage.⁶ For example, automated reconstitution processes help decrease manual processing, reducing the risk of human error and delivering faster results for patients. Furthermore, automation enables labs to run blood and plasma samples at all hours of the day so that information can be quickly delivered to physicians and patients at the point of care.⁷

Coagulation labs are crucial for screening and monitoring bleeding and thrombosis risk, especially when results are needed immediately, and are important during emergency room visits or surgeries. However, these labs are increasingly burdened by growing healthcare demands, particularly as the global aging population becomes more reliant on health systems.

By improving timeline predictability, turnaround time, reducing variability, and standardizing processes, automation can lead to better resource management, lower costs, and directly impact patient outcomes.^2,8 Combining automation with strategic, reliable workflows can dramatically reduce bottlenecks and improve lab productivity, offering higher throughput compared to traditional manual processing of blood samples. 

For the coagulation lab, automation provides more consistent processes through programmed, standardized methods. Therefore, it offers better quality control and more reliable, accurate results—crucial for coagulation tests such as prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and D-dimer.

To successfully implement automation and improve efficiency, labs should collaborate with partners who specialize in advanced laboratory technologies. These experts bring a deep understanding of the unique challenges coagulation labs face—ranging from staff training and workflow volume suitability to integrating new systems with existing infrastructure. By leveraging their insights, labs can navigate operational hurdles more effectively and unlock greater productivity across their processes.