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TAT Targets

Setting turnaround time targets by test type and section.

TAT targets define the acceptable turnaround time for each test type. Tests that exceed the target are marked as breaches in your TAT dashboard and breach rate calculations.

Go to AdminTAT Targets.


Setting a TAT target

  1. Click Add target or click an existing test to edit it
  2. Select the test type (must be in your tests catalogue)
  3. Set the target (minutes) — measured from sample receipt to result release
  4. Set the priority (Routine / Urgent / STAT) if your lab uses different targets per priority level
  5. Click Save

Common starting targets:

TestRoutine targetUrgent target
Full Blood Count60 min30 min
Liver Function Tests120 min60 min
Renal Function Tests120 min60 min
Malaria RDT30 min15 min
Blood glucose (point of care)10 min5 min
Blood culture (positivity)5 days

Adjust these to match your facility's actual commitments and accreditation requirements.


TAT targets and TAT dashboard

Once targets are set, the TAT overview shows:

  • Breach rate — percentage of tests that exceeded the target
  • Breaches list — each individual breach, with the time taken, target, and variance
  • By test type — which test types have the highest breach rates

Section-level targets

You can also set a composite TAT target for an entire section (e.g. "All chemistry tests released within 2 hours") rather than per-test. Go to AdminLab Sections → click a section → TAT target.


For help, email [email protected].