Survey of critical value reporting and reduction of false-positive critical value results.
BACKGROUND
Reporting of laboratory critical values has become an issue of national attention because of important regulatory, medicolegal, and clinical concerns.


OBJECTIVE
To survey aspects of the laboratory critical-value reporting process at a broad range of institutions.


METHODS
A survey was developed regarding the operational and information-technology aspects of critical value reporting.


RESULTS
More than 730 responses were obtained from a broad distribution of hospitals. In addition, we analyzed more than 700 written responses from survey participants.


CONCLUSIONS
The survey results provide insight into the standard of practice and level of compliance with current Joint Commission and College of American Pathologists requirements for critical values, demonstrate considerable heterogeneity, and suggest areas for improvement. A common issue raised during the survey and follow-up teleconference was the incidence of outpatient false-positive critical values. In this report, we also demonstrate that attention to preanalytic transport and processing issues can assist in minimizing this issue.
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Anand S
AS
Dighe
Jay B
JB
Jones
Sue
S
Parham
Kent B
KB
Lewandrowski
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems / Q000639:trends; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000592:standards*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011786:Quality Control; D014481:United States
D001786:Blood Glucose; D011188:Potassium