Table 2 Critical value policies and procedures at participating laboratories

Critical values reporting is

.026

 Minor policy

2

(3.3)

1

(1.1)

7

(4.6)

7

(7.2)

5

(3.4)

22

(4.1)

 Somewhat important

8

(13.3)

9

(10.2)

16

(10.5)

3

(3.1)

5

(3.4)

41

(7.6)

 An essential procedure

50

(83.3)

78

(88.6)

129

(84.9)

87

(89.7)

136

(93.2)

480

(88.4)

Presence of written procedures for critical value reporting

53

(82.8)

80

(89.9)

138

(90.2)

83

(83)

142

(95.9)

.011

496

(89.5)

Presence of a comprehensive list of critical values

41

(69.5)

76

(84.4)

137

(89.0)

74

(79.6)

142

(96.6)

 < .001

470

(86.6)

Number of tests in the list

 Range

0–32

4–50

1–30

2–90

3–25

0–90

 Mean ± SD

13.92 ± 10.26

15.02 ± 7.06

12.28 ± 7.34

12.02 ± 16.50

11.76 ± 7.20

.237

12.67 ± 9.36

 Median

15.5

16

10

5

9

10

Critical value list was developed based on^†

 Published literature

17

(26.2)

26

(28.6)

26

(16.7)

21

(21.0)

26

(17.6)

.134

116

(20.7)

 Opinion of clinicians

10

(15.4)

32

(35.2)

14

(9.0)

30

(30.0)

47

(31.0)

 < .001

133

(23.2)

 Medical societies' recommendations

9

(13.8)

37

(40.7)

35

(22.4)

30

(30.0)

69

(46.0)

 < .001

180

(32.1)

 Manufacturer's recommendations

3

(4.6)

9

(9.9)

14

(9.0)

16

(16.0)

10

(6.8)

.084

52

(9.3)

 Review of laboratory practice

20

(30.8)

38

(41.8)

54

(34.6)

21

(21.0)

32

(21.6)

.002

165

(29.5)

 Informal laboratory peer review

6

(9.2)

10

(11.0)

3

(1.9)

4

(4.0)

2

(1.4)

.001

25

(4.5)

 Others

7

(10.8)

2

(2.2)

10

(6.4)

1

(1.0)

11

(7.4)

.032

31

(5.5)

 No answers

16

(24.6)

13

(14.3)

21

(13.5)

18

(18.0)

1

(0.7)

 < .001

69

(12.3)

Laboratory personnel trained on reporting critical values

52

(83.9)

85

(94.4)

144

(93.5)

87

(88.8)

140

(95.2)

.046

508

(92.2)

Critical values procedures are regularly updated

49

(79.0)

78

(89.7)

118

(77.6)

79

(82.3)

141

(95.9)

 < .001

465

(85.5)

Unique ranges for distinct population by age

14

(22.2)

66

(73.3)

111

(72.5)

52

(54.2)

105

(72.4)

 < .001

348

(63.6)

Unique ranges for distinct population by diagnosis

23

(35.4)

26

(32.5)

59

(40.4)

44

(44.9)

68

(47.9)

.001

220

(41.4)

Policy for assessing timeliness of reporting

59

(90.8)

70

(79.5)

113

(74.3)

87

(88.8)

135

(91.8)

 < .001

464

(84.4)

Policy on how to manage the repetition of critical values

51

(79.7)

75

(90.4)

136

(87.7)

82

(84.5)

135

(92.5)

.002

479

(87.9)

Laboratory policy requires read back

20

(35.7)

81

(92.0)

123

(80.4)

72

(75.0)

127

(88.2)

 < .001

423

(78.8)