Reduction of errors in laboratory test reports using continuous quality improvement techniques

The techniques of continuous quality improvement have been applied to the problem of wrongly addressed clinical laboratory test reports. Over a 6-month period, flow charts of the process of producing test reports were created, the error rates of incorrectly addressed test reports were established, and the root causes of these errors were identified and progressively removed. A 17-fold sustained reduction in the rate of incorrectly addressed test reports was achieved with faster turnaround time, no significant expenditure of funds, and no changes in staff, equipment, or the laboratory information system.