title: Standardization of haematology critical results management in adults: an International Council for Standardization in Haematology, ICSH, survey and recommendations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  These recommendations are intended to develop a consensus in the previously published papers as to which parameters and what values should be considered critical. A practical guide on the standardization of critical results management in haematology laboratories would be beneficial as part of good laboratory and clinical practice and for use by laboratory-accrediting agencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A working group with members from Europe, America, Australasia and Asia was formed by International Council for Standardization in Haematology. A pattern of practice survey of 21 questions was distributed in 2014, and the data were collected electronically by Survey Monkey. The mode, or most commonly occurring value, was selected as the threshold for the upper and lower alert limits for critical results reporting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 666 laboratories submitted data to this study and, of these, 499 submitted complete responses. Full blood count critical results alert thresholds, morphology findings that trigger critical result notification, critical results alert list, notification process and maintenance of critical results management protocol are described. This international survey provided a snapshot of the current practice worldwide and has identified the existence of considerable heterogeneity of critical results management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recommendations in this study represent a consensus of good laboratory practice. They are intended to encourage the implementation of a standardized critical results management protocol in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia. tee_beng_keng@snp.com.au.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Keng
authors.affiliation: UK National External Quality Assessment Scheme for Haematology, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De La Salle
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Consultant, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bourner
authors.affiliation: Hemotherapy and Hemostasis Department, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Sanno Affiliate Hospital, International University of Health &Welfare, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.affiliation: National Center for Clinical Laboratories (NCCL), Beijing, China.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCafferty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006405:Hematology / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Haematology; ICSH; critical results; recommendations; standardization