Incomplete Filling of Laboratory Request Forms: a look at the Practice at a Federal Medical Centre in South Eastern Nigeria
Adizua, U.C.
West African Journal of Medicine 36(2): 112-115
2019
ISSN/ISBN: 0189-160X PMID: 31385595 Document Number: 699665
Laboratory request forms serve as a medium for communication between clinicians managing medical cases and the pathologist. Improperly filled forms impairs the ability of pathologists to generate sound and valuable reports. This research focused on finding out the extent to which doctors in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia properly fill laboratory request forms. A total of 1,509 laboratory request forms directed to the electrolyte bench, already filled out by various doctors in the hospital between May and October, 2018 were retrospectively studied. The completeness of information supplied by requesting physician based on some parameters were analysed. In descending order, the most frequently provided data were as follows; name of patient, 1,509[100.0%]; gender,973[64.5%]; provisional diagnosis,866[57.4%]; age,639[42.4%]; hospital number,428[28.4%]; clinical summary,47[3.1%]. 26[2%] forms were completed in their entirety per the 6 variables assessed. Proper and adequate filling of laboratory request forms is very poor in this hospital. Therefore, continuous medical education on the need for adequate completion of request forms is absolutely necessary.