Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This case study evaluated the 2024 consolidation of microbiology laboratory services within Dubai Health's network, aiming to enhance diagnostic efficiency, reduce costs, and standardize service quality across tertiary hospitals, primary health care centers, and medical fitness centers. METHODS: A hub-and-spoke model was implemented, with Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital as the central hub for non-urgent testing and rapid response laboratories at peripheral sites for urgent testing. The phased approach included infrastructure upgrades, standardized protocols, optimized transport logistics, and a unified laboratory information system. Performance metrics included sample delivery rates, cost reductions, specimen rejection rates, proficiency testing, and test volume changes. RESULTS: Consolidation achieved a 98.57% on-time delivery rate for routine samples and 97.90% for critical samples. Operational costs dropped by 6.1% for reagents, 62.7% for proficiency testing, and 19.01% for workforce, despite a 10.9% test volume increase. Specimen rejection rates decreased from 0.50% to 0.05%, and proficiency testing performance improved to 99.59%. The current procedural terminology code optimization boosted revenue. CONCLUSIONS: Dubai Health's hub-and-spoke model enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and standardized quality, offering a scalable framework for global health care systems. In addition to demonstrating enhanced efficiency and cost savings, this study provides insights from the Gulf region where published data remain limited. By outlining practical strategies, such as phased redeployment, robust transport logistics, and continuous clinical engagement, this work offers a scalable model adaptable not only to Gulf countries but also to diverse health care systems worldwide.