Abstract

Against a backdrop of process improvement, a Canadian hospital examined the prevalence of problems in pathology samples sent from its operating room to main lab, seeking to reduce the number of errors and improve patient safety. After using quality and process improvement tools and principles to analyze the process, the improvement team determined that a new form was needed to better collect and accurately document the necessary information to request lab services. Using the new form produced a modest reduction in error rates, but confirmed ongoing continuous improvement initiatives to improve processes throughout the hospital.