Potential cost savings by minimisation of blood sample delays on care decision making in urgent care services.

Background: Timely availability of blood sample results for interpretation affects planning and delivery of patient care from initial assessment in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments.

Materials And Methods: Rates of, and reasons for, rejected blood samples submitted from all clinical areas over one month were evaluated. Haemoglobin (Hb) represented haematology and potassium (K), biochemistry.