title: Reduction in Hospital-Wide Clinical Laboratory Specimen Identification Errors following Process Interventions: A 10-Year Retrospective Observational Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accurate patient identification and specimen labeling at the time of collection are crucial steps in the prevention of medical errors, thereby improving patient safety.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patient specimen identification errors that occurred in the outpatient department (OPD), emergency department (ED), and inpatient department (IPD) of a 3,800-bed academic medical center in Taiwan were documented and analyzed retrospectively from 2005 to 2014. To reduce such errors, the following series of strategies were implemented: a restrictive specimen acceptance policy for the ED and IPD in 2006; a computer-assisted barcode positive patient identification system for the ED and IPD in 2007 and 2010, and automated sample labeling combined with electronic identification systems introduced to the OPD in 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2000345 specimens collected in 2005, 1023 (0.0511%) were identified as having patient identification errors, compared with 58 errors (0.0015%) among 3761238 specimens collected in 2014, after serial interventions; this represents a 97% relative reduction. The total number (rate) of institutional identification errors contributed from the ED, IPD, and OPD over a 10-year period were 423 (0.1058%), 556 (0.0587%), and 44 (0.0067%) errors before the interventions, and 3 (0.0007%), 52 (0.0045%) and 3 (0.0001%) after interventions, representing relative 99%, 92% and 98% reductions, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accurate patient identification is a challenge of patient safety in different health settings. The data collected in our study indicate that a restrictive specimen acceptance policy, computer-generated positive identification systems, and interdisciplinary cooperation can significantly reduce patient identification errors.
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Hsiao-Chen
authors: HC
authors: Ning
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Chia-Ni
authors: CN
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Daniel Tsun-Yee
authors: DT
authors: Chiu
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Yung-Ta
authors: YT
authors: Chang
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Chiao-Ni
authors: CN
authors: Wen
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Shu-Yu
authors: SY
authors: Peng
authors: Department of Nursing, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Tsung-Lan
authors: TL
authors: Chu
authors: Department of Management Information System, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Hsin-Ming
authors: HM
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Laboratories Administrative Center, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Tsu-Lan
authors: TL
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems / Q000592:standards*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010355:Patient Identification Systems / Q000592:standards*; D061214:Patient Safety / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards*; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors