Ordering molecular genetic tests and reporting results: practices in laboratory and clinical settings.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have suggested that patient care may be compromised as a consequence of poor communication between clinicians and laboratory professionals in cases in which molecular genetic test results are reported. To understand better the contributing factors to such compromised care, we investigated both pre- and postanalytical processes using cystic fibrosis mutation analysis as our model. We found that although the majority of test requisition forms requested patient/family information that was necessary for the proper interpretation of test results, in many cases, these data were not provided by the individuals filling out the forms. We found instances in which result reports for simulated diagnostic testing described individuals as carriers where only a single mutation was found

SUBMITTER: Lubin IM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2518741 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature