Outpatient Phlebotomy Success and Reasons for Specimen Rejection

Abstract

Abstract Objectives.—To determine the rate with which blood collection is successful on the initial phlebotomy encounter, the rate with which laboratory personnel judge specimens unsuitable for analysis, and the practice characteristics associated with fewer unsuccessful collections and fewer rejected specimens. Design.—Clinical laboratories participating in the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes laboratory improvement program prospectively characterized the outcome of outpatient phlebotomies for 3 months or until 20 unsuccessful phlebotomy encounters occurred. By questionnaire, participants provided information about test ordering, patient preparation, and specimen collection. Setting and Participants.—Institutions in the United States (n = 202), Canada (n = 4), Australia (n = 3), and South Korea (n = 1). Main Outcome Measures.—Percentage of successful encounters and percentage of unsuitable specimens. Results.—Of 833289 encounters, 829723 were successful. Phlebotomies were unsuccessful because pa...