Consultation in the coagulation laboratory. A conceptual analysis.

Physicians can play an important role as consultants in the utilization of laboratory data by providing interpretation, recommending action, and presenting rationale. These activities have been quantitated in 382 consecutive consultations provided by pathologists in the coagulation laboratory, and their statistical interrelationships have been analyzed. Quantitative characterization of the consultation is important, since the pathologist's professional role in patient care may no longer remain informal and undocumented. However, analogous evaluations can be applied to expose, evaluate, and improve the properties of clinical consultation in general.