National Testing Laboratories: Testing Support

Testing Support is located in Charlotte, N.C., and consists of several departments: Human Resources, Process Optimization and Testing Operations Support, which includes Process Control, Process Design & Document Management, Training, Testing Result Management System, and Change & Capacity Management. Additional dedicated functions include Finance, Quality Assurance, Biomedical Information and Network Services.

Human Resources

The Testing Support Human Resources department supports 900+ employees at five National Testing Laboratories (NTL) located in Charlotte, Detroit, Philadelphia, Portland and St. Louis; at the Diagnostics Manufacturing Division and the Scientific Support Office in Gaithersburg , MD and at the Testing Support office in Charlotte, N.C. The department provides comprehensive human resources services in support of their customers to include recruiting and staffing, employee relations, compensation and benefits management, talent development, diversity/equal opportunity management and safety/risk management strategies. The department has a headcount of 12 employees – one director, six managers and five associates and reports to the Vice President of Testing.

Process Optimization

The Process Optimization department was established in Testing Support on January 30, 2006 to fulfill a need of analyzing and improving processes within the NTLs. Some of the responsibilities of the department are:

• Provide analysis for all major supply contracts
• Develop business plans and analyses for strategic initiatives such as:
• Centralization
• Standardization
• Consolidation
• Advancing New Technology
• Assist in the development of strategy and policy issues
• Develop workflow studies and models of blood-testing laboratories
• Analyze processes using Lean manufacturing techniques to eliminate waste and reduce costs
• Improve efficiency and effectiveness of processes to increase capacity without capital expenditures
• Deliver throughput and capacity analyses for selected laboratory processes and equipment
• Provide technology and automation improvement decisions and cost/benefit analyses for replacement of aging equipment and systems
• Responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications
• Create and manage Testing Support intranet website
• Implement new database applications, maintain existing database and client/server applications, and convert applications to current database and client/server technologies
• Provide technical and user support on database and client/server software development projects
• Prepare statistical analyses and monthly reports

Testing Operations Support

Testing Operations Support is responsible for the support of the National Testing Laboratories. Support provided includes:

• Development of process requirements, role definition and process documents
• Development of the testing curriculum, training implementation plans and training delivery tools
• Evaluation of training effectiveness
• Development of equipment and assay qualification plans
• Investigation of adverse systemic trends and development of preventative action plans
• Management of process change
• Investigation of supply and equipment problems
• Support of technical issues (24/7)