Drug screening in hospital clinical laboratories.

Although hospital toxicology laboratories are usually established to assist their emergency services in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, they could and should be used by other departments in the hospital, as well as by other facilities in the area. Overall, toxicology services vary widely in both scope and practice. Comprehensive screens are generally processed by larger hospitals or by university-affilitated medical centers. However, smaller facilities may be able to offer comprehensive services by marketing their efforts in the geographic area of the hospital. The ultimate success of the hospital toxicology laboratory will depend on its ability to communicate its services to its users and to offer a wide range of tests in a proficient and cost-effective manner.