Audit Template

Lab Turnaround Time Audit & Root-Cause Worksheet

An interactive audit form to record order-to-result timestamps, capture pre-analytic/analytic/post-analytic delay causes, collect staffing and transport observations, and capture root-cause analysis and improvement actions. Includes recommended KPIs and visualization guidance in the introduction.

Interactive Tool

Lab Turnaround Time Audit & Root-Cause Worksheet

Purpose

Use this audit to capture order-to-result times and the specific causes of delays so teams can target improvements. Enter timestamps where available; enter durations in minutes if timestamps aren't accessible. The form is designed to be saved per-sample or per-batch audit.

Recommended KPIs

  • Median Order-to-Result (minutes) by test type
  • Percent results meeting SLA (e.g., <60 minutes for stat tests)
  • Median pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic delay components
  • % of audits with specimen condition issues (hemolysis, insufficient)
  • Top delay causes by category (transport, staffing, equipment, documentation)

Visualization Templates

Suggested visuals: box-and-whisker for distribution of TAT by test type; stacked bar showing component delays (pre/analytic/post); Pareto chart of delay causes; time-series trend of median TAT and % within SLA.

YYYY-MM-DD (use audit date)
Name or initials
Hospital or clinic name
Where the test originated or where sample was collected
LIS or specimen identifier
Select closest match
ISO timestamp preferred (YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM) or enter approximate time
When specimen was collected
When specimen arrived in lab (or logged into LIS)
When testing began on instrument
When result was verified/reported in LIS
Enter minutes if timestamps unavailable (optional)
Transport time (minutes)
Queue or preparation time in lab
Instrument run and result processing time
Main KPI. If timestamps provided, compute externally; otherwise enter best estimate.
Delays before lab receipt (e.g., transport, collection problems). If yes, complete reason fields.
If 'Other', also complete the 'preanalytic_reasons_other' field
Provide short description if 'Other' selected
How specimen reached the lab
Select best match
Instrument, reagent, QC or workload issues
Provide short description if 'Other' selected
Delays after result generation (verification, reporting)
Time from result available to notification or action
Brief summary of likely root causes (2–5 sentences)
What was done to resolve or mitigate the delay during this event?
Suggested experiments or countermeasures (e.g., change transport schedule, revise order workflow, stock backup reagents)
Triage: choose priority level for follow-up actions
Name or role (e.g., Lab Manager)
YYYY-MM-DD
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