Introduction

Request forms from the laboratory constitute vital communication piece between laboratory personnel and managing physicians who depend on results generated from the laboratory for patients management and efficiency [1,2]. Reports from studies show that information generated from the laboratory has a profound impact on patient diagnoses and wellness: laboratory report constitute between 60-70% of useful clinical information needed in the management of both in-patient and out-patient in hospital setting [3,4].

Biochemical reports are interpreted and reported by chemical pathologists; who are trained medical doctors. Pathologists require patients’ biodata, clinical presentations and laboratory findings to reach agreeable conclusion in patient’ diagnosis and treatment [5-7]. The importance of adequate completion of request forms is usually underestimated by physicians who may result in poor ability of pathologist to correctly interpret results; wrong allocation and delivery of patient’ results-leading to delay in instituting prompt treatment [8-13]. Delay in instituting treatment is dangerous particularly in case of highly communicable infectious disease- may result in outbreak of the disease distrupting public health. Inadequately filled form is of no good in epidemiological studies

In most studies the only variables provided by requested clinicians on laboratory request forms were the patient name and the test to be conducted. Exclusions in laboratory request forms as identified and reported in the literatures are being classified in these formats: scanty information on patients socio-demographic characteristic (name, age, sex, address ward, laboratory number); insufficient information on the test to be done (name of the sample, fasting status of the patient scanty or no clinical information and omission of requesting physician name (doctor’s name, phone number and signature) and contact, and unreadable letters [14].

The age of the patient would provide useful information to the pathologist in the interpretetation of most biochemical specimens: premenopausal women have higher “High Density Cholesterol Lipoprotein ” than post-menopausal women. Pregnant women and children have higher alkaline phosphatase levels than the general population͘ Some samples like serum cortisol, fasting plasma glucose and fasting serum lipid profile need date and most especially time of collection for their interpretation. Cortisol values fluctuate (diurnal rhythm) throughout the day. Biochemical values differ in men and women. The contact of the referring doctor is vital in emergency situations and for immediate contact and clarification of information on the request form. From these perspectives complete and correctly  filled laboratory request forms have a colossal impact on the quality of results generated from the laboratory, and in turn have greater impact in patient treatment, improvement and general well-being. On the contrary, when laboratory request forms are inadequately completed, there will be fragmentary and erroneous pathologists’ advice to clinicians [8-14]. Evidence from studies showed that pre-analytical  errors now constitute the major errors in laboratory testing and inadequately completed request forms contribute most to pre-analytical errors [8-14].

Hence, experts have suggested that health institutions should periodically audit “work processes” against measurable criteria to ascertain gaps, and to recommend corrective measures to improve patient care and wellbeing [15]. As clinicians’ responsibilities are getting more diverse, their tendencies to complete routine tasks become derisive.