Editorial

Preanalytical phase – a continuous challenge for laboratory professionals

Ana-Maria Simundic orcid.org/0000-0002-2391-5241 ; Editor-in-chief, Biochemia Medica, Zagreb, Croatia; EFLM (formerly EFCC) Working-group on Preanalytical Phase, chair
Giuseppe Lippi ; Clinical Chemistry and Hematology Laboratory, Academic Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy; Editorial Board member; EFLM (formerly EFCC) Working-group on Preanalytical Phase, member

Abstract

Preanalytical phase is the most vulnerable part of the total testing process and is considered to be among the greatest challenges to the laboratory professionals. However, preanalytical activities, ma-nagement of unsuitable specimens and reporting policies are not fully standardized, nor harmonized worldwide. Several standards related to blood sampling and sample transportation and handling are available, but compliance to those guidelines is low, especially outside the laboratory and if blood sampling is done without the direct supervision of the laboratory staff. Furthermore, for some most critical procedures within the preanalytical phase, internationally accepted guidelines and recommen-dations as well as related quality measures are unfortunately unavailable. There is large heterogeneity in the criteria for sample rejection, the different strategies by which unacceptable sam-ples are managed, processed and test results reported worldwide. Management of unacceptable spe-cimens warrants therefore immediate harmonization. Alongside the challenging and long road of pati-ent safety, preanalytical phase offers room for improvement, and Editors at Biochemia Medica Journal definitely hope to continue providing a respective mean for reporting studies on different preanalytical phase topics. With pleasure and delight we invite potential future authors to submit their articles examining the quality of various preanalytical activities to Biochemia Medica. We will keep nurturing this topic as our prominent feature and by this we hope to be able to deliver valid evidence for some future guidelines and recommendations.

Keywords

preanalytical phase; errors; quality indicators; phlebotomy; blood sampling

Hrčak ID:

83218

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/83218

Publication date:

15.6.2012.

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