Clustered interventions to reduce inappropriate duplicate laboratory tests in an Irish tertiary hospital

Brady, Hugh D; Piggott, Laura; Dunne, Suzanne S.; O’Connell, Nuala H.; Dunne, Colum P.

doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2017.10.012

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 25 publications

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“…in transfers between emergency departments, duplication rates of 32 to 88% have been found. (7)(8)(9)(10)(11) Repetition rates for patients being transferred from general practice to the hospital have been studied less extensively. One study, investigating repetition rates for patients who were admitted to the medical department of a hospital found that 63% of tests ordered by the general practitioners in the previous year were repeated on admission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Redundant laboratory testing on referral from general practice to the outpatient clinic: a post-hoc analysis

et al. 2021

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BackgroundInappropriately repeated laboratory testing is a commonly occurring problem. However, this has not been studied extensively in the outpatient clinic after referral by general practitioners.AimThe aim of this study was to investigate how often laboratory tests ordered by the general practitioner were repeated on referral to the outpatient clinic, and how many of the normal test results remained normal on repetition.Design & settingThis is a post hoc analysis of a study on laboratory testing strategies in patients newly referred to the outpatient clinic.MethodAll patients who had a referral letter including laboratory test results ordered by the general practitioner were included. These results were compared to the laboratory test results ordered in the outpatient clinic.ResultsData were available for 295 patients, 191 of which had post-visit testing done. In this group, 56% of tests ordered by the general practitioner were repeated. Tests with abnormal results were repeated more frequently than tests with normal results (65% vs 53%; P<0.001). A longer test interval was associated with slightly smaller odds of tests being repeated (OR 0.97 [0.95–0.99]; P=0.003). Of the tests with normal test results that were repeated, 90% remained normal. This was independent of testing interval or testing strategy.ConclusionLaboratory tests ordered by the general practitioner are commonly repeated on referral to the outpatient clinic. The number of test results remaining normal on repetition suggests a high level of redundancy in laboratory test repetition.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Redundant laboratory testing on referral from general practice to the outpatient clinic: a post-hoc analysis

et al. 2021

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A systematic literature review on unnecessary diagnostic testing: The role of ICT use

Bai

Gao

Burstein

et al. 2020

International Journal of Medical Informatics

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Hand hygiene and compliance behaviours are the under-appreciated human factors pivotal to reducing hospital-acquired infections

Dunne

Kingston

Slevin

et al. 2018

Journal of Hospital Infection

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Clustered interventions to reduce inappropriate duplicate laboratory tests in an Irish tertiary hospital

Abstract: The interventions resulted in sustained reduction in rates of inappropriate testing by May 2014. Extrapolated cost reductions exceed two million Euro annually. The most effective intervention involved staff education.

Cited by 5 publications

References 25 publications

Redundant laboratory testing on referral from general practice to the outpatient clinic: a post-hoc analysis

Redundant laboratory testing on referral from general practice to the outpatient clinic: a post-hoc analysis

A systematic literature review on unnecessary diagnostic testing: The role of ICT use

Hand hygiene and compliance behaviours are the under-appreciated human factors pivotal to reducing hospital-acquired infections

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