Improving the Accuracy of Specimen Labeling

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Accurate specimen identification is a challenge in all hospitals. A mislabeled specimen can lead to devastating consequences for a patient. In an effort to decrease the risk of potential harm caused by labeling errors, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota successfully implemented a Zero Tolerance Laboratory Specimen Labeling process. After months of studying, charting, networking, and communicating with all stakeholders the new process led to a 75% reduction in laboratory specimen labeling errors.

Over 70% of all information used by a clinician to diagnose and treat a patient comes from the laboratory.¹ Ensuring that specimens are correctly identified at the point of collection is essential for accurate diagnostic information. Patient and/or specimen misidentification can be serious, resulting in misdiagnosis and mistreatment.^2,3 A misidentification event creates multiple victims: the patient whose treatment was based on the provided results, the patient whose sample it actually was who may have gone untreated, and the healthcare workers who were directly involved with the patient or the specimen. There are also financial and emotional costs from this type of error. While the financial toll can be calculated, the emotional toll on the patients, their families, and healthcare workers who experience its impact is not easily quantifiable.