Navigating the Bumpy Road: Hospital Margins by Region and Where Pathology Efficiency Fits In
A recent Becker’s summary of Kaufman Hall’s National Hospital Flash Report and related data reveals a rugged financial terrain for U.S. hospitals:
1 min read
Voicebrook Monday August 04, 2025
Many labs focus on the pathologist's time—but efficiency in the gross room is equally vital. Traditionally, gross room staff didn’t wait on transcription and would quickly move from dictation to the next task. That makes it harder to see productivity improvements. But eliminating steps and simplifying workflows can still drive significant impact—as labs using VoiceOver PRO are discovering.
While the gross room may not have to deal with transcription delays, removing manual steps and repetitive tasks still leads to meaningful time savings and reduced strain on staff.
Take it from Eric Calianese, a pathologists' assistant at Rochester Regional:
“Since switching to VoiceOver PRO, we’ve eliminated so many steps… it actually sped up our workflow. The group is now doing more efficient work.”
— Eric Calianese, Pathologists’ Assistant, Rochester Regional HealthCare
And from the grossing team at Logan Health:
“I grossed 350 blocks with PRO—which is almost 100 more than my previous record. When I set that [prior] record, I had to stay late to get it done. With PRO, I still left on time.”
— Clinton McCann, Pathologists’ Assistant, Logan Health
These are real gains: saved time, reduced stress, and the ability to do more without burning out.
Even in the absence of traditional transcription delays, voice recognition still delivers measurable value in the gross room.
In one independent study, researchers evaluated timestamp data from over 5,600 specimens per month. After implementing voice recognition, the lab saved $2,625 per month in transcription costs—totaling over $32,000 per year—with a full ROI achieved in under two years.¹
That’s real cost recovery labs can reinvest in staffing or equipment—without delaying specimen processing.
VoiceOver PRO makes it easier for grossing staff to focus on what matters most: quality, accuracy, and throughput.
Efficiency in the gross room may not always look like dramatic before-and-after time stamps, but that doesn’t mean the impact isn’t real. It’s about supporting overburdened teams, reducing downstream delays, and eliminating inefficiencies that cause frustration and burnout.
Even a small time savings per case will multiply fast, especially in high-volume labs.
VoiceOver PRO isn’t just a reporting tool—it’s a force multiplier for your gross room.
¹ Source: Using Timestamp Data to Assess the Impact of Voice Recognition on the Efficiency of Grossing Biopsies, ResearchGate, 2020.
Our customers say PRO "pays for itself time and time again, multiple times over every year."
A recent Becker’s summary of Kaufman Hall’s National Hospital Flash Report and related data reveals a rugged financial terrain for U.S. hospitals:
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