Article Overview:

Laboratory tests are crucial for diagnoses, follow-ups and treatment. However, lab work isn’t just about delivering results, it’s about integrating safe care and delivering a high quality of care. The best way to do that is through a patient safety program. This article describes methods of patient safety within the laboratory environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the pre-analytical phase
• Define the analytical phase
• Define the post-analytical phase
• Reflect on a case study of a near-miss event