Investigating the Challenges Faced by Lab Technicians in KSA in Interpreting Hematology Test Results in Patients with Hematological Disorders: A Grounded Theory Study

Abstract

Hematological disorders encompass a wide range of diseases affecting blood cells, from anemias to leukemias and lymphomas. Accurate interpretation of hematology test results by laboratory technicians is critical for diagnosis and treatment. This grounded theory study investigated the challenges faced by lab technicians in Saudi Arabia when interpreting hematology results in patients with blood disorders. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 lab technicians across several hospitals in KSA. Interview transcripts were analyzed using open, axial and selective coding to develop a conceptual framework explaining the key difficulties technicians encounter. Four main challenges emerged: 1) Atypical cell morphologies obscuring results, 2) Inadequate clinical information provided with test orders, 3) Analyzing results near clinical decision limits, and 4) Time pressure impacting result review. Participants described compensatory strategies including consulting with pathologists, requesting more clinical data, reflex testing, and batching samples for efficiency. However, they noted organizational barriers to routinely employing some of these approaches. Recommendations are made for process improvements, enhanced communication between clinicians and labs, ongoing technician training, and decision support systems to aid result interpretation. Systematically addressing these challenges may improve the accuracy of hematology diagnostics in Saudi Arabia and internationally.