Harmonization efforts add value to clinical laboratory and improve patient safety

ABSTRACT

Divisão de Laboratório Central do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (DLC-HCFMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil

Laboratory tests provide a basis for medical decisions; for this reason they are of great relevance to healthcare, both in clarifying diagnoses, in prescribing or monitoring treatment, and in making decisions about hospitalization or hospital discharges. Reliability of test results depends on technical quality, the technology that must be employed within strict specifications, the use of materials and supplies of good origin, efficiency and implementation of mechanisms for potential failure prevention.

The movement within Clinical Pathology for harmonization of methods and equipment in the latest years is part of a context guided by: the search for patient safety; electronic health records (EHR); consolidation of laboratory services into large regional or national chains; use of multiple equipment platforms in diagnostic routines, to increase productivity and efficiency of analytical systems⁽¹⁾; patient care in diverse types of health services, within a same system; the urgent need for laboratory error reduction to minimize risks to patients⁽²⁾.Read more…