Critical Values - - Patient Care University of Washington Laboratory Medicine

Critical values are those results that indicate a high risk of morbidity or mortality in the absence of rapid intervention to treat the abnormal value or its underlying cause.

It is the policy of the laboratory to notify the ordering location of any laboratory results which are so far from the reference range that they indicate a potentially dangerous condition requiring immediate attention by the clinician. The ordering locations are notified even to those areas with computer printers or terminals. Critical Laboratory results are always reported by telephone. In accordance with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements, it is required that we request and receive a read-back of results to ensure that the results were properly noted by the recipient.

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