Ensuring Accuracy in Your Lab Results

Ensuring Accuracy in Your Lab Results

When patients come into the Green Bay Oncology office, many times they are required to have blood taken for one or more tests.  How can we be assured that the testing is accurate? The answer is through quality assurance.

The phlebotomist (person who takes the blood) greets the patient and identifies them by asking for their name and date of birth. That information is compared to the labels that have been printed specifically for that patient.   Blood is drawn from the arm, finger, hand or a catheter inserted directly into the vein.  Labels are immediately affixed to the tubes.

The tests are then performed on the blood in accordance with a strict array of company policies and government rules which include stringent quality control.  Periodically, the lab is tested and inspected by an outside regulatory agency.   They will check to see if we have done and documented these actions in accordance with the regulations.

The accuracy of the instruments we use is checked daily by running control samples with known values. Only after the control values are correct and the instrument has passed this test, will the patient’s blood sample testing be performed. The result of the patient’s blood test is then reviewed by a laboratory professional after which it goes directly into the patient’s chart electronically, avoiding error caused by incorrect transcription.

Green Bay Oncology East and West Green Bay sites have laboratories within the clinics to assure the quickest, most efficient lab results possible.  Both are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, operated by a knowledgeable staff.  Green Bay Oncology also has sites outside of Green Bay, which include Sturgeon Bay, Oconto Falls, Sturgeon Bay, Escanaba and Manistique.  We rely on the proven skill and commitment to quality of each facility we partner with in those communities.

The Green Bay Oncology Lab staff is passionate about quality assurance for our patients, and we pride ourselves on strict quality control.