Timeliness of clinical laboratory tests. A discussion based on five College of American Pathologists Q-Probe studies

Along with accuracy and reliability, timeliness is considered an essential quality for laboratory tests. Only for highly specific instances involving situations in operating theaters has timeliness been shown to affect outcome. Some studies have shown timeliness can shorten length of stay in certain emergency department situations, but rarely for hospital inpatients. Clinicians' expectations for emergency department laboratory test timeliness call for results in less time than the laboratory expects to or does provide. Data from five College of American Pathologists Q-Probes studies on test turnaround time support these observations, but also show central laboratories can provide results in a timely fashion if they optimize the total testing process.