[Problems on emergency laboratory tests for blood cell counts (BCC) and coagulation].

Emergency laboratory tests need to clarify sudden changes in disease conditions in inpatients and outpatients. Such tests are used for various purposes and at various times. In the department of Clinical Laboratory in Osaka City University Medical School Hospital, the emergency laboratory office was established and blood cell counts and coagulation tests are the hematological tests performed. Blood cell counts are performed throughout the day on weekdays and holidays, but coagulation tests are only performed from 9 am to 5 pm on weekday. Laboratory tests are requested using the ordering system with computer and laboratory results are shown on line. The number of emergency blood cell counts per year is approximately 23,539, accounting for about 20% of the number of routine blood cell counts each year, 14,561 (61.9%) on weekdays, 8,978 (38.1%) on holidays, 17,695 (75.2%) for inpatients and 5,844 (24.8%) for outpatients. The number of inpatients tested per year was 8,760 (49.5%) on holidays and 8,935 (50.5%) on weekdays. The number of outpatients tested per year was 5,626 (96.3%) on weekdays and 218 (3.7%) on holidays. Emergency laboratory tests will be more useful for large-scale hospitals in the future. The construction of an emergency laboratory system suitable for each hospital is important. Furthermore, the continuous improvement in emergency laboratory systems and greater advances in the quality of clinical laboratory test are necessary.