Clinical chemistry laboratory errors at St. Paul\u2019s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Hirut Tadesse,Samuel Kinde,Kassu Desta,Fatuma Hassen,Addisu Gize

doi:10.1186/s13104-018-3893-5

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study was aimed to determine the magnitude of errors in clinical chemistry laboratory tests at different phases of the assay of clinical chemistry laboratory unit.ResultsFrom the total 1633 clinical chemistry laboratory tests done, overall, 541 (33.1%) errors occurred which accounts that 392 (72.3%), 45 (8.3%), and 104 (19.2%) were pre analytical, analytical and post analytical phases of errors, respectively. Incomplete clinical data of patient was observed on 1185 (72.6%) of CLL tests. Name, gender, and age of patients were missed on 8 (0.5%), 190 (11.6%), and 257 (15.7%) forms of the requests, respectively. The physician’s name existed only on 248 (15.2%) and signature on 1137 (69.6%) of the request forms. An essential patient data were incomplete, which needs emphasis on awareness creation. Such practice improves laboratory data interpretation and thereby prevent misdiagnose and mistreatment of patients.

Highlights

Analysis of body fluids in clinical chemistry laboratory (CCL) is subjected to a number of interferences that affect the pre analytical and analytical accuracy
Pre‐analytical, analytical and post‐analytical errors From the overall, 541 (33.1%) errors, the contribution of the different phases towards the total number of errors were 72.3%, 8.3% and 19.2%
The computable research done in New Delhi; India [14] with a total error rate of 1.4%, pre analytical, analytical, post analytical phases contributed to 1.1%, 0.1% and 0.2% of errors respectively as the contribution of the different phases towards the total number of error gave 77.1%, 7.9% and 15%

Summary

Results

One thousand six hundred thirty three (1633) clinical chemistry request forms were examined. The highest well documented parameters were the patient identification number of the requests 1633 (100%) and the information about the cite location of requested clinician’s, 1615 (98.8%). Uncompleted patient’s laboratory request forms may affect interpretation of test results, the most parameter errors which observed in the study were missing of writing physician’s name, 1385 (84.8%) and clinical data of the patient, 1185 (72.6%) (Table 1). Pre‐analytical, analytical and post‐analytical errors From the overall, 541 (33.1%) errors, the contribution of the different phases towards the total number of errors were 72.3% (pre-analytical), 8.3% (analytical) and 19.2% (post-analytical). The most common errors were insufficient blood volume from pre-analytical phase, equipment malfunction from analytical phase and communication errors from post-analytical phases (Table 2). Logistic analysis revealed communication error with laboratory test requested location cite from OPD, and inpatient had significance association. The occurrence of laboratory results not collected by responsible body increased by three times in OPD from others (Table 3)

Introduction

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Discussion

Conclusion