Customer relationship management systems in clinical laboratories: A systematic review

Abstract

The implementation of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems in clinical laboratories is crucial in improving customer relationships, service quality, and operational efficiency that aligns with a patient-centric care model. This study utilizes the PRISMA guidelines in reviewing and synthesizing 26 journal articles using the People, Process, Technology (PPT) framework to analyze the roles of people involved in clinical settings, the processes by which laboratory services were delivered, and the technological considerations enhancing patient care. Results revealed that the successful implementation of CRM systems in clinical laboratories depends on the aligned efforts of both developers and end-users. Subsequently, marketing processes and customer service were then found out to be crucial for the successful utilization of CRM systems in clinical laboratories. The features and the system integration techniques of CRM systems were found out to be vital in developing efficient operations, enhancing data analysis, and extending accessibility. The research gap analysis, on the one hand, shows that the effectiveness of CRM systems on the patients, the lack of qualitative methods, and the development of corrective actions to increase patient satisfaction are relevant areas of research concerns to optimize the effectiveness of implementing different CRM systems.