The clinical interface--a British physician's view.

There appears to be a growing divergence, in the UK, between the hospital clinician and laboratory specialist as to their respective roles in the investigation of patients. The clinician requires a prompt service based on effective communication systems and rapid turnaround of test results. Laboratory specialists generally perceive both their role and that of the laboratory as consultative, often imposing barriers in order to give efficient patient care and maintain efficient use of resources. In order that greatest use of the laboratory service can be achieved in the United Kingdom, guidelines relating to appropriate and effective laboratory investigation should be agreed between clinicians and laboratory specialists and further studies undertaken to characterise the effects on outcome measures such as patient bed-stay, of the availability of test data and consultant opinion. The strong tradition of mutual respect and understanding between the two disciplines should not be jeopardised by the view of the clinician, who has the responsibility of diagnosing and managing the patient, that the laboratories are there to provide a service. Improved communication, both verbal and electronic, is required to reposition laboratory services within a rapidly changing health service.