Laboratory network of excellence: enhancing patient safety and service effectiveness

TLDR

Clinical laboratories have evolved rapidly due to technological advances and economic pressures, yet cost remains the dominant concern while quality, effectiveness, and outcome impact are increasingly recognized as critical value‑added features. The study seeks to establish a network of excellence among five Italian laboratories by investigating markers of laboratory service effectiveness and sharing their clinical practice experience. It reports preliminary data on quality indicators across all phases of the total testing process, assessing the appropriateness of test requests and data interpretation. Initial results show that pre‑analytical specimen rejection causes and the introduction of three laboratory clinical guidelines influence quality, stimulating debate and encouraging other laboratories to adopt these indicators to enhance clinical effectiveness and outcomes.

Abstract

Clinical laboratories have undergone major changes due to technological progress and economic pressure. While costs of laboratory testing continue to be the dominant issue within the healthcare service worldwide, quality, effectiveness and impact on outcomes are also emerging as critical value-added features. Five Italian laboratories are therefore promoting a network of excellence by investigating markers of effectiveness of laboratory services and sharing their experience of using them in clinical practice. In the present study we report preliminary data on indicators of quality in all phases of the so-called total testing process, the key to evaluating all phases of the total testing process, including the appropriateness of test requests and data interpretation. Initial findings in evaluating pre-analytical causes of specimen rejection in three different laboratories and the effects of introducing three laboratory clinical guidelines are reported. These data should stimulate debate in the scientific community and encourage more clinical laboratories to use the same indicators to improve clinical effectiveness and clinical outcomes within the healthcare service.