What is TAT?
Turnaround Time
Trusted by leading healthcare organizations
- TAT
- Turnaround Time (TAT) in laboratory settings refers to the total time elapsed from when a specimen is collected or received until results are reported. TAT is a critical quality metric that directly impacts patient care, clinical decision-making, and lab operational efficiency.
TAT is one of the most important key performance indicators (KPIs) for laboratories. Faster TAT means quicker diagnosis, earlier treatment initiation, and improved patient outcomes. It also affects physician satisfaction, hospital length of stay, and the laboratory's competitive position.
How TAT is Measured
Collection to Receipt
Time from specimen collection to lab arrival (pre-analytical)
Receipt to Testing
Time from accessioning to test completion (analytical)
Testing to Reporting
Time from result generation to provider delivery (post-analytical)
Total TAT
End-to-end time from collection to result availability
STAT TAT
Urgent test TAT with accelerated processing
Critical Value TAT
Time to communicate life-threatening results
Factors Affecting TAT
Specimen transport logistics
Accessioning and labeling efficiency
Test complexity and methodology
Instrument availability and downtime
Staffing levels and shift coverage
Batch vs. continuous processing
Result review and verification workflows
Interface delays and system integration
TAT Benchmarks by Test Type
STAT Chemistry (BMP, CMP)30-60 minutes
Routine Chemistry2-4 hours
Complete Blood Count (CBC)30-60 minutes
Urinalysis1-2 hours
Coagulation (PT/INR, PTT)30-60 minutes
Blood Cultures (preliminary)24-48 hours
Routine Microbiology24-72 hours
Molecular/PCR Tests2-6 hours
*Benchmarks vary by lab type, accreditation, and patient population
How LIMS Helps Reduce TAT
Automated sample tracking and routing
Electronic order receipt eliminates re-keying
Auto-verification of routine results
Real-time worklist prioritization
Integrated instrument interfaces
Automated result delivery to EHR
TAT monitoring dashboards and alerts
Bottleneck identification and analytics