The View of Clinicians to the Biochemistry Laboratory in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Aim: With the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians' expectations from laboratory professionals and the desired test volumes have increased significantly. The specialist physicians do not sufficiently understand the laboratory team's workflow struggling with the pandemic at the forefront, and there are problems in communication. In the study, the extent to which clinicians understand the lab's labor and the extent to which they have mastered the laboratory functioning were questioned. Materials and Methods: The research was carried out through a survey, and 85 specialist physicians from various state, training and research, and university hospitals across Turkey participated by filling out the form on Google Forms contains 18 questions. Answers were evaluated in percentages. Results: In general, it was determined that the clinicians did not have a command of analytical processes and quality specifications of medical laboratories, did not make reasonable test requests, and there was a communication gap between them and the laboratory. They stated that although they underestimate biochemists' work, they prefer to work with biochemists who are medical doctors. Conclusions: Understanding the workings of biochemistry and other medical laboratories by clinicians will speed up analytical processes, reduce medical errors and facilitate mutual communication.