Contribution and application of patient safety in clinical laboratories in Latin America

Abstract

Patient safety is a fundamental component of the quality of care and the prerequisite for carrying out any health activity. Undoubtedly, the laboratory is the most widely used diagnostic instrument, being present in 80% of clinical decisions, in such a way that it becomes susceptible to errors, the same ones that can be prevented in a high percentage. The objective and purpose of this research work was to contribute to patient safety in clinical laboratories. This research was carried out under the bibliographic review modality, the applied methodology was descriptive, explanatory level. For the search for information, the databases of PudMed, Scielo, Scopus, Web of Science, Elseiver and Scholar, among others of relevance, were used. For the consultation and reading, magazines with scientific support, original scientific articles, pages and magazines with academic prestige, published within the last five years, were used. It was concluded that the contribution of patient safety in Latin American clinical laboratories is an essential part, which is why they constantly seek improvement strategies for the well-being of the patient, in such a way that it is established within the laboratory processes as a fundamental part, thus being present from the beginning to the end of the analytical phases of the clinical laboratory. And in the case of carrying out with greater responsibility and empowerment, patient safety in clinical laboratories would minimize the different errors and adverse events.