Pre-analytical Errors at the Chemical Pathology Laboratory of a Teaching Hospital.

Introduction: The Chemical Pathology Laboratory at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) processes specimens received from inpatients, the outpatient department and other medical facilities in Jamaica. Specific rejection criteria are used to determine samples unsuitable for analysis. It has been noted that despite efforts to reduce the number of unacceptable samples received in the laboratory, the problem persists.