[Clinical laboratory in the 21st century]

Abstract

Alvin Toffler has predicted that the "Third Wave" will be a society which be decentralized, diversified and customized, computer-dependent. Medical care and also clinical laboratory will be revolutionalized in a more or less similar direction to that predicted by him. Laboratory physicians and scientists should try to improve laboratory services, particularly establishment of adequate normal values, common expression of various laboratory results, introduction of medical decision making and recommended guideline for laboratory use in primary health care.