The mission of the VA Clinical Assessment Reporting and Tracking (CART) Program for cardiac catheterization laboratories (CART-CL) is to support a national VA reporting system, data repository, and quality improvement program for procedures performed in VA cardiac catheterization laboratories. CART-CL is intended to improve clinical care/communication, support local and national quality improvement, monitor patient safety, capture workload of cardiac catheterization lab procedures, and inform VA system evaluation to maximize operational efficiency and patient outcomes. CART-CL is a collaborative effort between the VA Patient Care Services, Office of Information and Analytics, Ischemic Heart Disease Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (IHD-QUERI), and Office of Information and Technology (OI&T).

Effective management of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) laboratories requires indicators capable of demonstrating each individual laboratory's productivity and efficiency. Local sites require the capability to determine in real time, the effects of any procedural or policy changes relating to productivity and efficiency. Data collected by each individual medical center is compiled on a national level at the Austin Information Technology Center (AITC) for P&LMS Central Office utilization. Each local medical center will have the capability to independently monitor laboratory trends and make appropriate decisions. A detailed view of workload data will be provided to support a variety of management and clinical requirements and needs. Measurements of productivity and efficiency data are capable of providing medical center to medical center comparisons. In addition, workload data is suitable for comparison to private sector facilities that capture laboratory workload based on Current Procedure Terminology (CPT). The National Laboratory Workload & Laboratory Management Index Program has been selected as the efficiency and productivity logic model. The National Laboratory Workload & Laboratory Management Index Program report replaces the Lab Automated Management Information System (AMIS) segment used in the past. Each local site identifies the reportable units based on CPT and VA guidelines. Reportable units are extracted by laboratory software and are transmitted to the AITC. The transmitted data is compiled and stored in the National Laboratory Workload & Laboratory Management Index Program database. This database supports P&LMS Headquarters and Veterans Integrated Service Network director's office.