Sample rejection as a quality indicator for continual improvement of laboratory services, tertiary care hospital.

Background: Quality in the health care institutions is multifaceted & multidimensional with its core element as the customer’s satisfaction. Improvement in the health care services is a long drawn relentless process which can be achieved by implementing a carefully planned Quality Management System. Laboratory services B.J. Medical College & Civil Hospital Ahmedabad, has set its Quality indicators and is monitoring it as a part of continual improvement. One of the Quality indicators is Sample rejection. The laboratory aims to reduce the sample rejections by complying with the standards & recommended guidelines. Methods: This is to monitor & analyze the Sample Rejections as a Quality Indicator for Continual improvement of the Microbiology Department. Primary data collection done before training & secondary data collection done after the training of nursing staff & Resident Doctors. Results: The sample rejection rate of the Microbiology Laboratory in the month of July 2010 was 0.31%. After the training of the nursing staff as well as resident doctors regarding proper collection & transport of samples based on scientific principles, a decreasing trend in the sample rejection rate is observed. i. e. from .31% to 0.11 % in the 13 months duration of study.Conclusion: The implementation of a systematic error-tracking system i.e. monitoring the sample rejections, analysing its trend, taking preventive & corrective actions to reduce the sample rejection rate in daily practice definitely improves the quality of the laboratory results and is a quality indicator for continual improvement of the laboratory.