Laboratory reports that are not optimally designed can lead to confusion
among clinicians, with the potential for misdiagnosis or unnecessary
requests for additional testing. Ackerman et al. evaluated the interpretation
of 5 typical microbiology reports by physicians in a teaching hospital
[6]. The investigators found that reports were often misinterpreted. For
example, one report of “isolation of a gram negative rod from sputum
was misinterpreted by 4 out of 5 physicians.” The reasons for misinterpretation
were reported to be the use of jargon, unfamiliar names of bacterial
species, or ill-defined reporting conventions, and the omission of a
clear-cut conclusion in many reports. The misunderstandings resulted in
both inappropriate use of antibiotics and orders for unnecessary testing
in the laboratory. This study highlights the importance of developing
clear, concise, standardized reporting formats in microbiology, and the
need for the laboratory to work closely with physicians in designing
and communicating microbiology reports.