Clinical Lab Costing & ROI Hub — share templates, benchmarks, and LIMS/EHR mapping
Problem statement (brief): Many labs lack reproducible, manager-ready per-test costing and ROI models because overhead allocation, labor capture, consumable tracking, and system integrations are inconsistent.
What to share (practical asks):
- Methods you use to calculate cost-per-test or cost-per-activity (step-by-step, assumptions, allocation bases).
- Anonymized templates or worksheets (spreadsheet CSV/XLSX, column definitions), including sample calculations for consumables, reagents, labor (FTE time / time-motion), equipment depreciation, QC, and indirect overhead.
- Benchmarks or typical cost ranges by test family (chemistry, hematology, molecular) you can share anonymously.
- LIMS/EHR/accounting systems you’ve mapped to (names + fields), plus integration notes or playbooks for syncing cost lines to orders/results.
- Manager-facing report examples (key metrics, visualizations, cadence) and ROI analysis templates (payback period, NPV/IRR assumptions, sensitivity scenarios).
- Vendor comparisons or performance notes (TCO drivers, hidden fees, integration friction points).
How to contribute safely:
- Post anonymized files or screenshots; remove PII and patient volumes if needed. If you can’t post files, describe the column names and formulas you used.
- Indicate file format (XLSX/CSV/Google Sheet), the accounting chart used, and whether unit costs are activity- or time-based.
Specific prompts when posting (copy/paste):
- Your lab type (clinical/diagnostic/research), size (approx. annual tests), and test families covered.
- System names (LIMS, EHR, ERP/accounting) and integration approach (API, flat files, manual exports).
- A short summary of the biggest pain point you solved or still face (e.g., allocating fixed overhead, linking instrument run-times to labor, vendor data quality).
What this thread aims to produce: a curated, community-owned set of templates, an ROI calculator, anonymized benchmarks, and short integration playbooks. If you’re willing to walk others through a worksheet or case study, note availability for a 30–60 minute peer office-hour session.
Please share one concrete artifact, formula, or mapping example to start — even a short CSV column list or the key formula you use to convert run-time into labor cost.