Importancia de la fase preanalítica de la toma de muestras en la evaluación del proceso de soporte de laboratorio clínico

Introduction

The increasing complexity of the Clinical Laboratory Process and the large number of professionals involved require effective coordination across different levels of care. Given the clinical and economic importance of these processes within the Andalusian healthcare system, this study focuses on analyzing the degree of implementation and quality of the clinical laboratory process in its pre-analytical phase in Primary Care.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed using an ad hoc online questionnaire, partially validated through a statistical pilot test. The research was conducted in healthcare centers of the Andalusian public system in the province of Huelva between January and March 2021. A total of 250 questionnaires were distributed, with 223 responses obtained (response rate: 89.2%), and a balanced participation between men (44.8%) and women (55.1%).

Results

The questionnaire showed excellent internal consistency (α > 0.9). A total of 223 questionnaires (89.2%) were completed by professionals from Huelva, mostly women and nurses. In sample collection, the highest-rated item was the staff's legal competence and skills (82.0% rated “excellent”), followed by collection schedules adapted to each center (62.1%). Regarding identification safety, the most notable result was the verification of correspondence between request and patient (65.9%).

Conclusion

Protocol adherence was particularly high among primary care professionals, who play a key role in the pre-analytical phase. The study concludes that process standardization is essential to reduce errors, ensure clinical safety, and improve healthcare outcomes.