Effective March 1, 2010, some changes to our policy regarding specimens submitted to the Department of Pathology that are misidentified or mislabeled will go into effect. This will affect specimens submitted to Specimen Control (6240 RCP), Microbiology (6004BT GH) and Point of Service Laboratories (Critical Care Laboratory, Special Care Nurseries Laboratory, Family Care Center).

The changes include:

• It will no longer be necessary for the physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner to go to the lab to sign for and take responsibility for reconciling any specimen identification errors. Rather, the person who collected and/or initially labeled the specimen must do so after consulting with the physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner regarding the necessity of performing the requested tests knowing that an error in specimen identification has occurred.
• The person coming to the lab to reconcile the identification errors must provide the name and CLP# of the physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner consulted. A disclaimer stating that specimen identification errors occurred will be attached to the lab results along with the name of the physician consulted.
• A Misidentified Specimen Notice will be given to the person reconciling the specimen identification errors that defines the responsibility, consequences, consultation, caution, and disclaimer regarding the misidentified specimen and its reconciliation.

Please refer questions to: Tim Gehris, MT(ASCP), CQA(ASQ), Department of Pathology Quality Assurance Coordinator @ 3-6721) or John Kemp, MD, Department of Pathology Director of Clinical Laboratories @ 4-9611.