PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Vishal Chhetri
AU  - Nima Nima
AU  - Ugyen Dophu
AU  - Kinga Jamphel
AU  - Rinxin Jamtsho
AU  - Kuenzang Dorji
AU  - Sacha Tenzin
AU  - Jigme Tenzin
AU  - Choney Wangmo
TI  - Efficiency of Reagent Rental System in Biochemistry Services in Bhutan
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.2020002717
DP  - 2021 Oct 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
PG  - 42--45
VI  - 34
IP  - 4
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/34/4/42.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/34/4/42.full
SO  - Clin Lab Sci2021 Oct 01; 34
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The evidence-based practice in medicine has made the laboratory diagnostic imperative for optimal health care services. The quality approaches in laboratory medicine in Bhutan have been incorporated since the one last decade. The quality of the clinical chemistry in Bhutan has been compromised due to the erratic supply of the reagents or consumables, poor equipment maintenance, and lack of automachine. In order to address this predicament, the Reagent Rental System (RRS) was introduced in clinical chemistry in 2014. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of RRS at clinical chemistry services in Bhutan.METHODS: A set of questionnaires was developed and information was collected from 8 major hospitals with RRS. The information was also collected from the physicians and hospital administrators on RRS. Data entry was done using Microsoft Excel. Descriptive information is presented as frequencies, means, and percentages.RESULTS: The overall satisfaction rate among the clinical chemistry laboratories using RRS was found to be 51.1%. Among the participating laboratories, Tashigang General Hospital Laboratory showed the highest satisfaction rate (81.8%). The Central Regional Referral Hospital Laboratory was found to be the least satisfied (27.2%). The implementation of RRS has minimized the coefficient of variation (CV) from 27.3% in 2011 to 5.1% in 2017. In the last 4 years (2014–2017), the average service interruption was reduced to 40.5 days from 14 months in the past. The participating laboratories were found to be satisfied with the analytical performance of the auto-analyzer; however, the nontechnical factors have negatively influenced the efficiency of RRS to improve the quality of the service. The physicians and hospital administrators also found that RRS has improved the quality of the service with reliable patient reports.CONCLUSIONS: The RRS has improved the quality of the clinical chemistry services by improving the supply of the reagents and consumables, equipment maintenance, and CV.