Evaluation of errors in a clinical laboratory: a one-year experience.
BACKGROUND
Efficient laboratory service is the cornerstone of modern health care systems. Scientific innovations have contributed to substantial improvements in the field of laboratory science, but errors still prevail. These errors are classified as preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical, depending upon the time of presentation.


METHODS
The data for 67,438 routine venous blood specimens were scrutinized, and errors were documented over the period of 1 year in the clinical biochemistry laboratory of Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital in Delhi, India.


RESULTS
Preanalytical errors were most common, with a frequency of 77.1% followed by postanalytical 15% and analytical 7.9%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study illustrates the importance of proper venipuncture procedures, analytical expertise and correct transcription of numerical data for precise and accurate reporting of results to clinicians. There is an urgent need for close inter-departmental cooperation to meet the goal of ensuring patient well being.
Goswami
Binita
B
Department of Biochemistry, GB Pant Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Singh
Bhawna
B
Chawla
Ranjna
R
Mallika
Venkatesan
V
D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests / Q000592:standards*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital