Likelihood ratios reporting in a tertiary hospital emergency department; a pilot study

The Emergency Department and the laboratory of our institution jointly developed simple Clinical Pathways for some important clinical conditions (pulmonary embolism, acute myocardial infarction, bile-pancreatic disease) and since May 2004 the positive and negative likelihood ratios have been added to the reports of the tests included in the clinical pathways. In the first semester 30% of clinicians adopted the new mode of tests requesting AMI, Pulmonary embolism and bile pancreatic clinical pathways, respectively, 24% 32% and 42%. According to a survey carried out in 2004 all the ED staff had knowledge of the project. A real partnership developed between the laboratory staff and Emergency Department physicians leading to the adoption of the Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine tools in the decision making process.