Errors in clinical laboratory test selection and result interpretation: commonly unrecognized mistakes as a cause of poor patient outcome

Michael Laposata

doi:10.1515/dx-2013-0010

Errors in clinical laboratory test selection and result interpretation: commonly unrecognized mistakes as a cause of poor patient outcome

Diagnosis (Berl). 2014 Jan 1;1(1):85-87. doi: 10.1515/dx-2013-0010.

Author

Michael Laposata¹

Affiliation

¹ 1Edward and Nancy Fody Professor of Pathology, Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Pathologist in Chief, Vanderbilt University Hospital, 4605 Vanderbilt Clinic, 1301 Medical Center Dr., Nashville, TN 37232, USA.

PMID: 29539974
DOI: 10.1515/dx-2013-0010

Abstract

Over the past decade, the test menu in the clinical laboratory has increased dramatically in size, cost, and complexity. Most practicing physicians would agree that it is a challenge to select the appropriate tests, and only the appropriate tests, with a clinical laboratory test menu of thousands of assays, many of which are genetic tests. This results in delayed diagnoses or incorrect diagnoses from errors in test selection and a failure to interpret tests correctly. Teams of diagnostic experts in a variety of specialty areas in laboratory medicine to aid treating physicians in test selection and result interpretation are being implemented to address this growing problem which frequently leads to significant diagnostic errors and the associated financial consequences.

Keywords: diagnostic error; diagnostic management; errors in clinical laboratory test selection; patient safety.