[Critical care testing: SFBC recommendations in 2018].

Area of Science:

• Medical Laboratory Science
• Critical Care Medicine
• Clinical Pathology

Background:

• Establishing optimal turnaround times (TAT) for laboratory testing in critical care is essential for timely patient management.
• Previous recommendations by the SFBC Working Group required updating to reflect current clinical realities and laboratory capacities.
• Standardizing emergency laboratory testing protocols enhances patient safety and clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present updated SFBC recommendations for maximal turnaround times (TAT) in emergency laboratory medicine.
• To provide a framework for determining appropriate TAT based on clinical situations and laboratory capabilities.
• To guide the integration of these recommendations into local clinical-biological contexts.

Main Methods:

• Review and update of a previously published table of TAT recommendations.
• Consideration of diverse clinical scenarios encountered in emergency settings.
• Assessment of the emergency response capabilities of medical laboratories.

Main Results:

• Updated recommendations for maximal turnaround times (TAT) for laboratory examinations in emergency conditions.
• A revised table incorporating updated clinical and laboratory considerations.
• Emphasis on the need for local adaptation of recommendations.

Conclusions:

• The updated SFBC recommendations provide a crucial resource for optimizing emergency laboratory testing.
• Local adaptation of these guidelines is necessary to align with specific clinical-biological contexts and laboratory resources.
• Collaboration between physicians and laboratory specialists is key to successful implementation.