[Pre-examination phase: perimeter and process description]

This document describes the perimeter and the content of the pre-examination phase using a process approach, i.e. a transversal and functional description of this activity. Pre-examination phase progresses trough steps differently combined according to the circumstances. Each step may be described as a sub-process characterized by an objective, intrinsic elements (beginning/end, input and output elements, upstream and downstream process, actors and technical means) and specific requirements. Ten steps have been defined from customer (patient and prescriber) information to transport. This process approach of pre-examination phase has several advantages: exhaustiveness, customer expectations listing at each step, risk to be prevented and anticipation of potential failures. We propose a tool allowing afterwards to optimize one or the other step and to secure it using procedures and monitoring based upon indicators.