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Reflective testing

¹ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
² Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, UK

Correspondence to:
Dr W G Simpson
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK; w.g.simpson@arh.grampian.scot.nhs.uk 12 December 2003

Keywords: chemical pathology; reflective testing; add on tests; post-analytical processing

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The processing of chemical pathology requests includes pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases. At its most basic, the post-analytical process is the reporting and delivery of validated results. One of the ways in which the chemical pathology laboratory provides "added value" over a purely analytical service is at this post-analytical stage—that is, further processing of results related to the request—either before issuing the report, simultaneously, or at a later stage. Indeed, such post-analytical processing is integral to the provision of a quality service, and as such is a requirement for laboratory accreditation in the UK.¹

The simplest form of processing is to compare the result with an appropriate, predefined "action range" (range checking), or to compare changes in sequential results from the same individual to predefined expected ranges of change (delta checking). Historically, this would have been carried out visually by the person authorising paper reports, but now such . . . [Full text of this article]