Novel opportunities for improving the quality of preanalytical phase: A glimpse to the future?

Abstract

The preanalytical phase is crucial for assuring the quality of in vitro diagnostics. The leading aspects which contribute to enhance the vulnerability of this part of the total testing process include the lack of standardization of different practices for collecting, managing, transporting and processing biological specimens, the insufficient compliance with available guidelines and the still considerable number of preventable human errors. As in heavy industry, road traffic and aeronautics, technological advancement holds great promise for decreasing the risk of medical and diagnostic errors, thus including those occurring in the extra-analytical phases of the total testing process. The aim of this article is to discuss some potentially useful technological advances, which are not yet routine practice, but may be especially suited for improving the quality of the preanalytical phase in the future. These are mainly represented by introduction of needle-wielding robotic phlebotomy devices, active blood tubes, drones for biological samples transportation, innovative approaches for detecting spurious hemolysis and preanalytical errors recording software products.

Keywords

• errors
• patient safety
• quality
• technology