What is critical value notification protocol?

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Critical value notification protocol is the process that ensures life-threatening lab results are communicated to the clinician immediately so urgent patient management can begin without delay. When a result is identified as critical, the lab must notify the responsible clinician right away, providing the exact value, patient identifiers, reference range, and the recommended action or intervention. This communication is time-stamped and documented in the patient record and lab information system, noting who was notified, when, and what actions were ordered. The purpose is to safeguard the patient by enabling swift clinical decision-making; delaying notification or waiting for routine or subjective judgments undermines safety. Immediate end-of-shift or voluntary notification does not meet this standard, and relying on staff to decide whether a result is critical introduces variability and risk.