TY - JOUR AU - Anesi, Adriano AU - Baroni, Dominga AU - Asticcioli, Sara AU - Ravarelli, Raffaella AU - Folli, Fulvia AU - Pittalis, Salvatore T1 - Efficacia della comunicazione telefonica dei risultati critici
in Microbiologia PY - 2013 Y1 - 2013-01-01 DO - 10.1716/1288.14253 JO - GIMPIOS JA - Gimpios VL - 3 IS - 1 SP - 40 EP - 46 PB - Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore SN - 1122-407X Y2 - 2026/05/01 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1716/1288.14253 N2 - Introduction. In Microbiology, there are some situations that must be considered as “critical” and that must be promptly reported. These include situations related to microscopic or culture confirmation of bacteria in some materials which are normally sterile, and those related to the identification of micro-organisms defined as “alert micro-organisms” because of their characteristics of pathogenity or their peculiar antibiotic resistance profiles. Telephone calls about critical microbiological results from laboratory personnel to clinicians are the most common mechanism for such notification. Aim. To evaluate the impact of telephone communication of critical values carried out in 2011 by the Microbiology laboratory in the wards of two hospitals in the Azienda Ospedaliera in the province of Lodi. Methods. The therapeutic actions and the measures of infection control undertaken by the ward personnel towards patients were retrospectively evaluated through revision of medical files, and were registered following the laboratory phone call. Results. Out of a total of 4,947 positive bacteriological tests, 165 critical values (notification rate 3.3%) were disclosed on the basis of an agreed list. 97% of reports were registered in the medical file. The median communication time was 25 minutes. In 94% of cases, the clinicians used the information received to make decisions about the therapeutic management of their patient within 90 minutes of the communication, though this interval was longer than 24 hours for those critical values not registered in the medical file. Errors during telephone communications were detected (error rate 0.6%). The median time until the infection control measures were entirely activated was six hours. In 95% of registered reports the identity of the reporter was not indicated by the recipient. Conclusions. Critical microbiological values have such peculiarities that a reasoned management of communication is recommended. Telephone calls from laboratory personnel to clinicians about critical results represent an area in which opportunities for improvement exist. Although critical results meeting the hospital’s criteria were reported promptly by the laboratory, treatment delays are still possible, and mistakes that could lead to adverse events for the patient can still occur in the post-analytical phase. ER -