Making the laboratory a partner in patient safety

The selection and interpretation of laboratory tests provide numerous opportunities for medical error and patient harm. A potential solution is to enlist the laboratory and laboratory-based pathologists to serve as active participants in the process of selecting and interpreting laboratory tests. The transformation of the laboratory pathologist from a test result producer to an active participant in the generation of clinical information has many potential benefits for the system, including improved diagnosis, improved patient safety, and reduced costs. In this article, the authors discuss potential solutions and examine the barriers that must be addressed before the pathologist can adopt these new roles and become a more valuable partner in the clinical community.