1. Provide the student with the skills necessary for the correct interpretation of the main laboratory tests, illustrating the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical requirements.
2. Illustrate the pathophysiological basis of the main laboratory tests, connecting the notions learned in the basic disciplines to laboratory diagnostics.

- Presentation of the course and teaching objectives
- Definition and purpose of Clinical Pathology
- General concept of biomarker and its role in modern Laboratory Medicine
- Organizations and types of the Clinical Pathology laboratory (hub and spoke)
- Organization and management of a Point Of Care Testing (POCT)
- General characteristics of the main instrumentations; automation and computerization; laboratory requests and reports; response time or turnaround time (TAT)
- Reliability of information: pre-analytical, analytical, post-analytical phase
- Pre-analytical phase: preparation and posture of the patient; sampling method; biological rhythms; anticoagulants; transportation and storage of the material; influence of the pre-analytical phase on the main laboratory tests
- Analytical phase: precision, accuracy, quality control, analytical and functional sensitivity
- Post-analytical phase: the laboratory report (quantities and units of measurement, reference values, decision values); inter-and intra-individual biological variability; interpretation of the results
- Urgent and routine analysis.
- Diagnostic strategies. Actions and decisions: understanding the biological value that laboratory data express, converting the data into decision-making and operational levels. Examples of current applications with the most commonly used laboratory parameters.

Antonozzi, I., Gulletta, E. Medicina di Laboratorio. Logica e Patologia Clinica. ‎ Piccin-Nuova Libraria; 3° edizione (20 marzo 2019).
M. Ciaccio e G. Lippi Biochimica Clinica e Medicina di Laboratorio. 3a edizione, EdiSES 2020