Using Plan-Do-Check-Act Circulation to Improve the Management of Panic Value in the Hospital

The concept “panic value” (or critical value) was first brought up by American scholar Lundberg[1] in 1972. It refers to the results of auxiliary examinations that are widely deviating from normal or anticipated results. The occurrence of these abnormal results shows that patients could be in a dangerous situation that their lives might be threatened. If clinicians are able to get the information in time and provide the patients with effective interventions or treatments promptly, lives could be saved. Otherwise, there could be serious consequences and the best opportunities for rescuing the patients might be missing.[2] The management of panic value is an important component of medical quality management, as the National Health and Family Planning Commission has clearly defined in the “patient safety goals” for several consecutive years.[3] In countries such as America, Australia as well as Germany, the management of panic value has also been greatly emphasized and was been included in various hospital assessments. For example, in the yearly assessment of medical quality held by Joint Commission International (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) of America, the management of panic value was an important part for evaluation.