Abstract
The final part of the laboratory testing process is known as the “Post-Analytical Phase.” In this phase, lab results are communicated to physicians. While the mechanisms of communication vary from verbal to digital, the end goal remains the same: provide accurate, timely, informative results to the physician. Although physicians are on the receiving end of this process, it may remain a bit of a black box. Common questions include: Why is this test taking so long? Why did the reference interval change since last time? Why is the lab calling me? How do I interpret a modest change in a result over time?
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Notes
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Analytical imprecision refers to the amount of “wobble” there is in successive measurements of the same sample; for instance, if potassium were measured ten times in a row in a sample with a concentration of 3.5 mmol/L, measurements would range from ~3.4 to 3.6 mmol/L; see Chap. 4 .
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McCudden, C.R., Willis, M.S. (2017). Post-analytical Issues in the Clinical Laboratory. In: Molinaro, R., McCudden, C., Bonhomme, M., Saenger, A. (eds) Clinical Core Laboratory Testing. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7794-6_5
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