Bar Code Slide Labeling Helps Reduce Misidentification Errors In The Laboratory

According to the “2013 Deep Dive Analysis on Laboratory Testing” study conducted by the ECRI Institute, specimen mislabeling is the leading cause of errors in the laboratory testing process. This includes a specimen with a label from a different patient, two contradictory labels, or a label that does not correspond with the order. Of the nearly 2,500 patient safety events reviewed in the study, 31% were due to mislabeling. The study also states that mislabeled specimens can lead to delays in the lab, such as the re-collection of samples, which can cause patient harm such as obtaining important diagnostic information for patient care.

To help prevent these types of errors, one of the Joint Commission’s 2014 National Patient Safety Goals for the Laboratory Accreditation Program is to “use at least two patient identifiers when providing laboratory services.”

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