Abstract
Recently, the Japanese Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (JCCLS) has generalized the global standard for Reference Intervals (RIs), the so-called “Common RIs”, which play a critical role in analyzing various clinical laboratory data. It is essential to standardize RIs for data linkage among institutions. In Okayama Prefecture, some flagship hospitals began to introduce them. Our institution also started to use the Common RIs from July 2016 after having finally gained approval. We were required to confirm and improve many factors for problems related to various systems and texts owing to the conversion of the notational system in complete blood count tests. Even though the actual modification included many major revisions in the laboratory information system, electronic medical record system, related department system, related documents, analytical devices, and WEB, we were able to start using the Common RIs without serious problems by advance preparation and cooperation with other divisions. Currently, laboratory data are linked to various systems inside or outside the hospital. The laboratory institutions are responsible for maintaining the consistency or the operational management system. In the future, we expect to introduce the Common RIs across all Japanese institutions and thereby to analyze laboratory data on the basis of the same criteria used nationwide.
