TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimizing test utilization in the clinical microbiology laboratory
T2 - Tools and opportunities
AU - Pritt, Bobbi S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Society for Microbiology.
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - Optimal laboratory test utilization is important for providing highquality clinical care and efficiently using limited health care resources. While microbiologists have long been advocates for appropriate laboratory test utilization, the widespread availability of electronic medical records capable of supporting clinician order entry and of clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) has provided expanded opportunities for implementing effective, automated test stewardship protocols. D. Nikolic et al. (J. Clin. Microbiol. 55:3350-3354, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01052-17) describe the results of implementing a CDST at their institution to curtail stool microbiology testing for patients hospitalized for more than 3 days. Their intervention significantly decreased unnecessary test orders and saved their laboratory over $8,000 in reagent and labor costs during an 11-month postintervention period. That report provides an excellent example of how clinical microbiologists can use electronic tools to optimize laboratory test utilization in their health care system.
AB - Optimal laboratory test utilization is important for providing highquality clinical care and efficiently using limited health care resources. While microbiologists have long been advocates for appropriate laboratory test utilization, the widespread availability of electronic medical records capable of supporting clinician order entry and of clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) has provided expanded opportunities for implementing effective, automated test stewardship protocols. D. Nikolic et al. (J. Clin. Microbiol. 55:3350-3354, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01052-17) describe the results of implementing a CDST at their institution to curtail stool microbiology testing for patients hospitalized for more than 3 days. Their intervention significantly decreased unnecessary test orders and saved their laboratory over $8,000 in reagent and labor costs during an 11-month postintervention period. That report provides an excellent example of how clinical microbiologists can use electronic tools to optimize laboratory test utilization in their health care system.
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U2 - 10.1128/JCM.01332-17
DO - 10.1128/JCM.01332-17
M3 - Review article
C2 - 28954899
AN - SCOPUS:85036608851
SN - 0095-1137
VL - 55
SP - 3321
EP - 3323
JO - Journal of clinical microbiology
JF - Journal of clinical microbiology
IS - 12
ER -