Improve Medical Office Testing Process

Improve Medical Office Testing Process

Improve Medical Office Testing Process

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) sent this bulletin at 11/14/2013 12:44 PM EST

A new toolkit from AHRQ helps doctors, nurses and medical office staff members improve their processes for tracking, reporting and following up with patients on medical laboratory tests. The toolkit, “Improving Your Office Testing Process: Toolkit for Rapid-Cycle Patient Safety and Quality Improvement,” is part of AHRQ’s ongoing effort to make care safer for patients in all settings.

It offers step-by-step instructions on how to evaluate an office testing process, identify areas where improvement is needed, and address those areas. The toolkit also includes a template for practices to ensure that laboratory test results are communicated effectively to patients in both English and Spanish.

To download the toolkit, go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/ambulatory-care/office-testing-toolkit/

To order a free copy of the toolkit, call the AHRQ Clearinghouse at 800-358-9295 or email AHRQpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov and ask for publication number 13-0035.