The core laboratory has a supervisor that primarily
focuses on middleware, and three clinical laboratory
scientists that are tasked with implementing, validating,
and maintaining autoverification rules. The core
laboratory employs a full‑time medical technologist
for quality control and improvement. A process
improvement team within the chemistry division meets The protocols permit autoverification of critical values
provided all other rules are met. Whether a critical
value autoverifies or not, a printout is generated that
directs laboratory staff to notify the ordering provider by
telephone and to document this notification (including
read‑back and verification of the result by the recipient of
the call). A call center within the core laboratory handles
the majority of critical value reporting during business
hours. When the call center is not open, technologists
within the laboratory handle critical value reporting.
Critical value reporting and appropriate documentation
of the provider call is monitored as a quality metric.
Late reports detect failure to document notification of
provider of critical values.