title: Opportunities to Enhance Laboratory Professionals' Role On the Diagnostic Team.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The 2015 Institue of Medicine report Improving Diagnosis in Health Care highlighted that diagnostic errors cause patient harm and that improvement in the diagnostic process requires better collaboration among physicians and laboratory professionals. The purpose of this study is to understand why physicians do not contact laboratory professionals when facing diagnostic challenges and identify opportunities for laboratory professionals to become more recognized members of the clinical care team.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 31,689 physicians from the American Medical Association Masterfile were surveyed about diagnostic challenges in laboratory test ordering and results interpretation, solutions to these challenges, and interactions with laboratory professionals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received responses from 1768 physicians (5.6%). When faced with diagnostic challenges, they reported using electronic resources because they find it difficult and time-consuming to contact the laboratory. Only 20% had an effective way to access laboratory professionals, mostly seeking help for logistical but less for clinical issues. Continuing medical education, professional articles, and updates from the laboratory were helpful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laboratory professionals have an opportunity to play a greater role in the diagnostic process by becoming active members of the clinical care team, beyond providing results. This study provides strategies to increase laboratory professionals' role in the diagnostic process.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Systems, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Retired, 83 Lorelei Loop, Lakemont, GA 30552 Julie.taylor5@icloud.com.
authors.forename: Julie R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Systems, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Utah/ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Genzen
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hickner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
authors.forename: Marisa B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Marques
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: diagnosis; diagnostic team; diagnostic tests; laboratory medicine practices; laboratory test interpretation; laboratory test ordering; laboratory utilization; medical laboratory practices; physician practice patterns