Pre-analytic quality in microbiology: audit on specimen transport times within a complex laboratory network in New South Wales

Key Points

• To evaluate specimen transport times within a laboratory network and their impact on microbiological quality.
• Audit of specimen transport times across multiple laboratories in New South Wales.
• Data collection from laboratory records and transport logs.
• Comparison with established guidelines for specimen transport.
• Assessment of impact on recovery rates of microorganisms.
• Identified significant time delays in specimen transport impacting specimen quality.
• Noted geographical distances contributed to delays in many cases.
• Recovery rates of fastidious bacteria were notably affected by longer transport times.