Effectiveness of automated notification and customer service call centers for timely and accurate reporting of critical values: A laboratory medicine best practices systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic review of the evidence available in support of automated notification methods and call centers and to acknowledge other considerations in making evidence-based recommendations for best practices in improving the timeliness and accuracy of critical value reporting.Design and methodsThis review followed the Laboratory Medicine Best Practices (LMBP) review methods (Christenson, et al. 2011). A broad literature search and call for unpublished submissions returned 196 bibliographic records which were screened for eligibility. 41 studies were retrieved. Of these, 4 contained credible evidence for the timeliness and accuracy of automatic notification systems and 5 provided credible evidence for call centers for communicating critical value information in in-patient care settings.ResultsStudies reporting improvement from implementing automated notification findings report mean differences and were standardized using the standard difference in means (d = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.2–0.62) while studies reporting improvement from implementing call centers generally reported criterion referenced findings and were standardized using odds ratios (OR = 22.1; 95% CI = 17.1–28.6).ConclusionsThe evidence, although suggestive, is not sufficient to make an LMBP recommendation for or against using automated notification systems as a best practice to improve the timeliness of critical value reporting in an in-patient care setting. Call centers, however, are effective in improving the timeliness of critical value reporting in an in-patient care setting, and meet LMBP criteria to be recommended as an “evidence-based best practice.”DisclaimerThe findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR).

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Systematic review to improve timeliness of critical value reporting.
► Call centers are effective in improving timeliness in in-patient care setting.
► Call centers are recommended as an “evidence-based best practice”.
► No recommendation for or against automated notification for improving timeliness.