TIMELINESS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY TESTS - A DISCUSSION BASED ON 5 COLLEGE-OF-AMERICAN-PATHOLOGISTS Q-PROBE STUDIES

Along with accuracy and reliability, timeliness is considered an essen tial quality for laboratory tests. Only for highly specific instances involving situations in operating theaters has timeliness been shown t o affect outcome. Some studies have shown timeliness can shorten lengt h of stay in certain emergency department situations, but rarely for h ospital inpatients. Clinicians' expectations for emergency department laboratory test timeliness call for results in less time than the labo ratory expects to or does provide. Data from five College of American Pathologists Q-Probes studies on test turnaround time support these ob servations, but also show central laboratories can provide results in a timely fashion if they optimize the total testing process.