Emergency Tests Requests at Tertiary Cancer Care Laboratory

One of the most crucial requirements for a Hospital based emergency service is an efficient laboratory back up. The laboratory must provide reliable, efficient, timely services to the emergency patient care. A major problem experienced in many hospitals, centres around, the inappropriate ordering of tests. Objective was to identify the test parameters most frequently requested during the emergency hours, to review the turnaround time (TAT) of the emergency laboratory services and to reduce the inappropriate use of laboratory services during emergency hours. A retrospective analysis of all the test requests received for the month of May-June 2013 during the emergency hours was carried out. Areas most prone to inappropriate use of the services were detected. Following intervention by discussing with the clinicians and reviewing of test which are really emergency, a prospective analysis was done for the requests received for the next six months July-December 2013. A total of 1532 (Biochemistry), 1169 (Haematology) samples were studied between May-December 2013. Following the intervention, decrease in the requests observed was 19.33% (Biochemistry) & 17.61% Haematology. Turnaround time (TAT) for all the samples was maintained as per laboratory protocol. Our findings correlate with those of other centres around the world regarding inappropriate use of emergency laboratory facilities. Periodic analysis of the requests received, which is also one of the quality indicators, should be carried out.