PRE-ANALYTICS


Surgery to slide: why pre-analytical excellence matters


Andrew Turner explains how pathology services and ultimately patients can benefit, by analysing and then optimising the pre-analytic phase.


In pathology, every diagnosis starts long before a specimen reaches the laboratory bench. The journey of that specimen, from collection in the community, clinic or ward to receipt in the laboratory, is often unseen but critical. This pre-analytical phase has a direct impact on laboratory efficiency, specimen integrity, and ultimately, patient outcomes. At GP Liaison, we specialise in


transforming this journey, using advanced data intelligence to optimise how specimens move, when they arrive, and


what condition they arrive in. We work closely with NHS pathology services across the UK to make the invisible visible, turning disparate data into actionable insights that help streamline diagnostics.


Why pre-analytics matter Data-driven quality assurance of diagnostics is slanted towards analytical and post-analytical processes. For example, ISO15189 requirements of these processes include data applicable to quality control, verification and


measurement of uncertainty. But no analyser, however advanced, can compensate for a degraded specimen or one that arrives late. Pre-analytical delays lead to repeat testing, delayed results, missed diagnoses, and in some cases, unnecessary emergency admissions. A potassium result impacted by specimen age may be dismissed as pseudo-hyperkalaemia, but what if it’s not? What if an avoidable delay or temperature excursion is masking true pathology? It’s in this critical window, between the needle and the laboratory, where our work sits.


The hidden burden of poor specimen flow Our research shows that many NHS pathology services receive a large proportion of their primary care


Pre-analytical delays lead to repeat testing, delayed results, missed diagnoses, and in some cases, unnecessary emergency admissions.


WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM SEPTEMBER 2025


Insight enables commissioners and laboratories to reallocate resources and improve equity of access, a critical goal as the NHS seeks to reduce diagnostic backlogs and inequalities


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AdobeStock / illustrissima


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