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Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 4. Medical Imaging Procedures
Published on: October 3, 2016
Medical errors arising from outsourcing laboratory and radiology services
Brian S Chasin1, Sean P Elliott, Stephen A Klotz
1Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
The American Journal of Medicine
|September 4, 2007
Summary
Outsourcing laboratory and radiology tests leads to frequent data errors and confusion for doctors and patients. These systemic issues in healthcare information exchange are difficult to resolve.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Healthcare Management
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Outsourcing of laboratory and radiology examinations is prevalent for insured outpatients.
- Insurance companies dictate testing facilities based on contractual agreements with providers.
- This practice impacts patient care pathways and information flow.
Observation:
- Physicians documented data transmission problems from outsource providers over four months.
- Issues arose with telephone and faxed data for inpatients, outpatients, and those in transition.
- Errors and frustration were noted in the informational exchange process.
Findings:
- The outsourcing of diagnostic tests frequently results in data errors.
- Confusion and frustration are common for both healthcare providers and patients.
- Occasional medical errors stem from these data inaccuracies.
Implications:
- Systemic errors in patient data exchange during outsourcing require significant attention.
- Addressing these issues is crucial for improving patient safety and healthcare efficiency.
- Current systems present challenges for easy resolution of data integrity problems.
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