An evidence- and risk-based approach to a harmonized laboratory alert list in Australia and New Zealand

Craig A. Campbell*, Que Lam, Andrea R. Horvath

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Individual laboratories are required to compose an alert list for identifying critical and significant risk results. The high-risk result working party of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB) has developed a risk-based approach for a harmonized alert list for laboratories throughout Australia and New Zealand. The six-step process for alert threshold identification and assessment involves reviewing the literature, rating the available evidence, performing a risk analysis, assessing method transferability, considering workload implications and seeking endorsement from stakeholders. To demonstrate this approach, a worked example for deciding the upper alert threshold for potassium is described. The findings of the worked example are for infants aged 0-6 months, a recommended upper potassium alert threshold of >7.0 mmol/L in serum and >6.5 mmol/L in plasma, and for individuals older than 6 months, a threshold of >6.2 mmol/L in both serum and plasma. Limitations in defining alert thresholds include the lack of well-designed studies that measure the relationship between high-risk results and patient outcomes or the benefits of treatment to prevent harm, and the existence of a wide range of clinical practice guidelines with conflicting decision points at which treatment is required. The risk-based approach described presents a transparent, evidence- and consensus-based methodology that can be used by any laboratory when designing an alert list for local use. The RCPA-AACB harmonized alert list serves as a starter set for further local adaptation or adoption after consultation with clinical users.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-94
Number of pages6
JournalClinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Volume57
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2019

Keywords

  • Alert list
  • Alert threshold
  • Critical result
  • Critical risk result
  • Harmonization
  • Hyperkalemia

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