Effective Tuesday, May 8, 2012, "STAT" will be removed as a frequency for ordering of laboratory tests.  The STAT priority button will be removed from all laboratory tests in Epic and the default priority for all units will be Routine.  This change was driven by several factors:

1. Because of increasing use of automation in the clinical laboratories, laboratory orders are no longer prioritized by STAT versus routine.

2. Combining of STAT frequency with Daily AM or Once AM laboratory orders was leading to complication in blood draws by nursing and phlebotomy and subsequent delay in collections.

3. The Iatrogenic Blood Loss committee recommended removal of STAT frequency as a strategy to reduce number of times/day that a patient is drawn for laboratory studies.

Laboratory orders that are needed urgently should be ordered as "ONCE" or any of the frequencies that include "NOW" (e.g., "NOW THEN EVERY 12 HOURS").

Questions should be directed to Matthew Krasowski, MD, PhD, Vice-Chair for Clinical Affairs, Department of Pathology (384-9380, matthew-krasowski@uiowa.edu).