Significant reduction in preanalytical errors for nonphlebotomy blood draws after implementation of a novel integrated specimen collection module

Abstract

Objectives: Most preanalytical errors at our institution occur during nonphlebotomy blood draws. We implemented an electronic health record (EHR), interfaced the EHR to the laboratory information system, and designed a new specimen collection module. We studied the effects of the new system on nonphlebotomy preanalytical errors. Methods: We used an electronic database of preanalytical errors and calculated the number and type of the most common errors in the emergency department (ED) and inpatient nursing for 3-month periods before (August-October 2014) and after (August-October 2015) implementation. The level of staff compliance with the new system was also assessed. Results: The average monthly preanalytical errors decreased significantly from 7.95 to 1.45 per 1,000 specimens in the ED (P