Most clinical labs still use paper or Excel logs for QC, maintenance, and competency. Why that fails CLIA, TJC, and CAP audits, and what to do instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do laboratories use manual logs?
Originally to solve a memory problem from an era of few computers: record the result at the bench before an interruption could distort it.
What is the hidden cost of a manual log?
It introduces a transcription error mode, a result miscopied from the log into the LIS, an error that cannot occur without the log.
Why is documented review of transcribed results required?
That review exists to catch the transcription error the log itself introduces; it is the administrative cost of the log's bench convenience.
What does direct entry from analyzer to LIS eliminate?
The transcription event and the associated review burden, and it shortens time to result availability.
When is a manual log still appropriate?
Narrow cases only: a waived test or instrument that does not interface with the LIS, or a send-out requiring a paper requisition for chain of custody.