Clinical chemistry in rural laboratories.

Questionnaires dealing with the practice of clinical chemistry in their laboratories were sent to 172 selected hospitals with a bed capacity of less than 70, all in the United States and all 50 miles or more from any large hospital or medical center. Repliesfrom 84 indicated that in the majority of the laboratories the actual work is done by individuals who have had college training and/or many years of experience. Most of the laboratoriesare adequately equipped to do the common clinical chemical assayswhose usefulnessmight diminish if time were lost in transporting specimens elsewhere.