Does anyone have a policy to share on delta check intervals? In our system (meditech) we have the hours set pretty far back and it stops outpatients for ridiculous things like a1c% and differential values and various chemistries. Personally I think delta checking differentials at all is a bit worthless, particularly on an outpatient whose last value was a week or two ago. And nearly daily at least a few inpatients will have differential delta checks.

I'd like to whittle down our delta checks to try to make them actually helpful and optimize our TAT with more autoreleased results.

Howdy! Every facility I have worked in has had a different delta check policy.  I could ask a few if they would be willing to share, but honestly you should sit down with your medical director and work out what you think is important enough to have a delta, and then what that delta should be.  If I remember correctly, I think ARUP had a presentation over delta checks a few years ago, it might be enough to get you started? 

I worked for two labs that delta checked a portion of their diffs (not the whole thing), which for their patient populations was great for catching sepsis/infection or possible new myeloproliferative disorders.

What would be the best way to help you?