Evaluation of Microbiology Request Forms at a Tertiary Health Institution in Lagos, Nigeria; an Audit of Incomplete Filling of Forms and the Impact on Results.

Abstract

Laboratory analytical errors were hitherto believed to be responsible for inaccurate investigation results. Recent findings have shown that with advances in analytical techniques, preanalytic factors are now responsible for most of the errors. We audited the Laboratory Request Forms, which were sent for microbiological investigations at a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria for incomplete fillings and the effects on results. A retrospective study of all the request forms received at the Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja-Lagos, Nigeria between July 2011 and March 2012 was carried out. The forms were checked for the absence/presence and details of specific items and parameters. Frequencies and percentages were calculated from the data collected. A total of 1441 cases were reviewed. The ages were accurately filled in only 9.5%. The duration of hospital stay was not indicated in 95.2% of cases. Column for clinical summary was not filled in 56.3% cases. The working diagnosis was confusing to the Laboratory Physicians in 14.1% cases and non-informative in 18.4%. A total of 31.5% specimens were inappropriate for the requested investigations and investigations not relevant to the working diagnoses in 36.8 % cases. Multidrug resistant isolates were found in 6.2 % cases. The standard of filling of laboratory request forms in the environment of the study and others with similar situation need to improve.

Keywords: Inaccurate laboratory investigation results, Audit, Nigeria

Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 63, No. 5-6,2013