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Background: Clinical laboratories have a crucial role in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases. The total testing procedure is significantly affected by the preanalytical factors. In this study, we aimed to assess pre-analytical errors to ensure high-quality laboratory performance.
Methods: A one-year retrospective data analysis from the Laboratory Information System was conducted, focusing on the sample rejections for the year 2023 from the central laboratory of our hospital. The data is evaluated based on the samples sent from various departments and by the analytic groups studied from these samples.
Results: The total number of samples admitted to the central laboratory of the Ankara Bilkent City Hospital were 2,647,527 in year 2023. Out of this total number, 35,024 samples (1.32%) were rejected. Among these rejections, 29,699 samples (84.8%) were rejected due to preanalytical causes. The most encountered preanalytical rejection reasons were improper test request, inadequate sample volume, and incomplete/incorrect information in the test request. The biochemistry samples had the highest rejection rates in the main, cardiovascular, oncology, obstetrics & gynecology, and physical therapy & rehabilitation departments. The coagulation samples were mostly rejected in the neurology and orthopedics departments, and the hemogram samples had the highest rejection rates in the pediatrics department.
Conclusions: The preanalytical phase of the total testing procedure is the stage most vulnerable to errors. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on identifying preanalytical errors and implementing corrective actions, as this will enhance the accuracy and quality of the test results.
DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2025.250248
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