title: Improving the quality of information on pathology request forms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have investigated the causes of incomplete pathology request forms received at our clinical chemistry laboratory. Based on a request form audit we found that the data most frequently missing from a pathology request form was the doctor's name, unique identification provider number, or signature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the effect of issuing the requesting doctors with self-inking stamps personalized with their name and a unique provider number.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention led to an immediate and sustained improvement in compliance, with the proportion of incomplete forms falling from 43% to 2%. In contrast, distribution of a memorandum alone made no significant change to the number of pathology request forms with incomplete data arriving at the laboratory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study describes a simple and low-cost solution to one of the causes of incomplete pathology request forms. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of systems improvement in health care.
authors.affiliation: Pacific Laboratory Medicine Services, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards NSW 2065, Australia. Lburnett@med.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chesher
authors.forename: Yugan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mudaliar
mesh_terms: D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D010338:Pathology, Clinical; D011786:Quality Control