Laboratory Medicine: Value for Patients Is the Goal

Bossuyt et al. (1) make interesting points regarding the major transformations in laboratory medicine in recent decades. They also underline the new competencies required by laboratory professionals to address current challenges, including the need to give “comprehensive consultative support” to clinicians. I would like to emphasize that the evolution of clinical laboratories into knowledge services is the key not only for their survival but, even more relevant, for improving patient safety.A body of evidence has been collected in the last few years to demonstrate that a large percentage of laboratory errors occurs in the pre- and postanalytical steps (2), in particular at the beginning (pre-preanalytical phase) and at the end (post-postanalytical phase) of the total testing process. These errors are especially related to requests for an inappropriate test and errors in patient and sample identification, data interpretation, and actions taken on behalf of the patients. In particular, studies …