Test requisition form- A check point in pre-analytical phase for laboratory errors

Abstract

Introduction: Quality in clinical laboratories cannot be understood by merely focusing on analytical aspects only; there is a need to put attention on pre-analytical and post-analytical aspects of laboratory testing to improve overall quality of laboratory diagnosis. In this study we try to evaluate the contribution of incompletely filled test requisition form in pre-analytical phase and how this error could be minimized which ultimately results into minimizing error in pre-analytical phase so to improve the quality of TTP. Objective: This study was designed to study the incomplete test requisition forms (TRF) received from different in-patient department (IPD) wards of hospital in biochemistry section of clinical chemistry laboratory (CCL) of hospital. Materials and Methods: Total 7671 TRF were in biochemistry section CCL from different IPD wards of hospital for the period of 3 months March to May-2015. Thereafter intervention, training was given and again the same error were observed, recorded, analyzed and compared for in 7843 TRF in 3 months from June to August-2015.Results: Total incomplete entry error in TRF during the pre-analytical phase of TTP was found to be 18.21 % in phase-1 before intervention which got reduced to 7.47 % in phase-2 after intervention. Conclusions: Therefore, clinicians and resident doctors should be made aware of consequences and results of not filling proper TRF and by introducing electronic test requisition entry they must be trained to adequately fill all the required information