Follow Up to Tempest in a Teapot

[hunter5582]

The lead nurse at the hematology office followed up with the lab director about the erroneous lab results. This is the message from the patient portal that she sent. .

Here is the response that our lab director has sent out. Thank you!

"We just learned that we may had a bad TIBC reagent pack loaded on our Analyzer on Monday 9/30/24 which caused false low results. We just repeated all <40 ug/dL results and they are within the normal reference range. I’m manually correcting results and they will be back on your queue for review. All TIBCs specimen performed on Monday 9/30 will be repeated tomorrow and will submit corrected reports. A new results approval rule has been added to Orchard (Lab Info System) to prevent similar future occurrences." --Lab Director Note: If TIBC is corrected, the % Saturation will be corrected as well.

I sent thanks to the lead nurse for her prompt follow up with the lab. Errors happen in medical care. It is reassuring when there is prompt follow up and action is take to ensure that the errors are not repeated.

Wishing everyone all the best.

[jointpain]

It's lucky for you that the false results didn't cause false medication, and lucky for them that you queried your results, there should be more checks in place so that false results don't get sent to the patient, or the doctor. Well challenged.

[April-May]

That’s amazing - what a great team you have looking after you - well done !

[RoundTheWorld]

Well done to you (and to your medical team for investigating and taking steps to prevent future errors). A good reminder that it’s a trend rather than a single set of results that we mainly need to pay attention to and also that it’s ok to ask reasonable questions!

[Hopetohelp]

amazing and reassuring

[Amethist]

another reason why I don’t/ can’t trust the medical system anymore.

[Hidden in reply to Amethist]

Hi Amethist Curious Are you still just on aspirin alone, if so how are you doing, re: platelet range ?

[Amethist in reply to Hidden]

Yes still just in ½ aspirin when needed, typically every 3-5 days I’ll get very mild tingling in my feet. If I didn’t have that symptom, I wouldn’t even know I had ET. That’s what I take the aspirin for.

Not sure about levels as haven’t tested in a while but probably still high.

[Gaithersburg]

Good to know that it was just an admin blip - thanks for keeping us updated.

[RedCardRob]

We are not the only ones (forum members) learning, it is also relieving news that the care/lab team are learning as well.I wonder how many other care/lab teams have the same operational working checks, probably not 100% nationally or internationally.

[Bluetop]

Good to get that follow up.

[Hidden]

well done and certainly reassuring for you.

[saltmarsh]

Well done Hunter. Glad you have a good group of medical professionals supporting you. It's my unfortunate experience that many in the medical community here in the US are either marginally competent or just don't really care - the result of the corporatization of medicine here in the US. It reinforces the importance of taking control of our own health. Be well.

[hunter5582 in reply to saltmarsh]

i am fortunate to have a team of dedicated medical providers who do care. I insist on it and dismiss any providers who are not up to standards. Even the best providers can make mistakes or have quality control issues. What matters is that they recognize deficiencies when they occur and correct them.

[saltmarsh in reply to hunter5582]

I have done the same thing as far as moving on from providers who I felt dropped the ball. Over the last 7 years I have replaced my mpn specialist, cardiologist, and gastro and have greatly benefitted from the change. Again, congrats on finding the right team