title: Lessons learned from the introduction of an electronic safety net to enhance test result management in an Australian mothers' hospital.
abstract: This study describes the implementation and impact of an electronic test result acknowledgement (RA) system in the Mater Mothers' Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. The Verdi application electronically records clinicians' acknowledgement of the review of results. Hospital data (August 2011-August 2012) were extracted to measure clinicians' acknowledgement practices. There were 27,354 inpatient test results for 6855 patients. All test results were acknowledged. 60% (95% CI 59% to 61%) of laboratory and 44% (95% CI 40% to 48%) of imaging results were acknowledged within 24 h. The median time between report availability and acknowledgement was 18.1 h for laboratory and 1 day 18 h for imaging results. The median time from when a result was first viewed to its acknowledgement was 7 min for laboratory and 1 min for imaging results. The longest recorded time to acknowledgement was 38 days. Electronic RA provides a safety net to enhance test result management.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Sharyn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lymer
authors.affiliation: Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.affiliation: Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strachan
authors.affiliation: Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Geof
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hirst
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Callen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Johanna I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Westbrook
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D061214:Patient Safety; D011793:Queensland; D013997:Time Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Patient safety; health information technology; laboratory; medical imaging; test result follow-up