The lab requisition form: A vital tool for quality patient care

Abstract

The use of clinical laboratory test results in diagnostic decision making is an integralpart of clinical medicine. A general belief is that laboratory error occurs mostly in the analytical phase, however contrary to this errors occurring in preanalytical phase are high and a major contributor to this is incomplete filling of the laboratory requisition forms. Incomplete information on the laboratory forms sometimes delays the communication with clinician which is important in life threatening medical conditions. Insufficient, incorrect or illegible information on the requisition forms can directly affect processing and analysis of the specimens. It may lead to incorrect diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, misinterpretation of result, and impair on meaningful comments from the clinical laboratory. Appropriately, filled laboratory forms allow for timely communication of critical results to physicians providing early intervention and improved patient care. This mini review tends to enlighten the health care professionals on the need to correctly fill the laboratory requisition form to enhance quality patient care.

Keywords: Requisition form, Pre-analytical errors, Quality care, Clinical information, Provisional diagnosis