This question is related to the review article titled "Tenets of Specimen Management in Diagnostic Microbiology" by Rajeshwar Reddy Kasarla and Laxmi Pathak. The article states that optimal specimen collection increases the capabilities of diagnostic reporting but also states that specimen collection and aseptic precautions in collection are a major concern for valid microbiology reporting, which leads me to ask what are the ways a microbiologist can ensure optimal specimen collection.