Medical errors are possible at any phase of patient care.

Preanalytic medical errors begin with the patient and the places he or she receives medical care--the bedside, chair-side, hospital, clinic-- wherever the patient is located.

The possibility for these errors continues through the ordering processes for medical tests or procedures.

Preanalytic medical errors also happen with the systems, processes, and procedures involved in the collection of test samples from patients.

These medical errors occur during the time before the laboratory is directly involved in assaying and analyzing test samples.

Examples of preanalytic medical errors:

• Wrong patient


• Wrong test


• Wrong timing
  
• Wrong collection procedure


• Wrong tube, container, additive