Improve the test requesting system to reduce the risk of clinically inappropriate test selection

Category: Diagnostic/Clinical Labs

Level: Silver

Author: Coakley-Burns, A.

The Impact: <p>Reduces the environmental impact of testing</p>

Details

 

Aside from the environmental benefits, this action aligns with guidance issued by professional bodies and NHS England. Reducing unnecessary clinical testing improves patient care and frees up pathology service capacity for valuable testing. Labs may need to work with IT/designers of the test requesting system to modify it. As part of this process, it will be important to work with clinical users to ensure any changes made are clinically safe. It will also be important to communicate the rationale for any changes with users.

References

• Health, financial and environmental impacts of unnecessary vitamin D testing: a triple bottom line assessment adapted for healthcare ,
• Transfusion requirements in operative care of appendicitis and related surgery (TROCARs): A retrospective service evaluation of routine group and save ordering using the susQI framework ,
• Carbon emissions and hospital pathology stewardship: a retrospective cohort analysis ,
• Patient, hospital and environmental costs of unnecessary bloodwork: capturing the triple bottom line of inappropriate care in general surgery patients

Resources

• Pathology. GIRFT Programme National Specialty Report ,
• Optimising blood testing in secondary care ,
• Optimising blood testing in primary care ,
• National minimum retesting intervals in pathology Royal College of Pathology ,
• Choosing Wisely Canada: Medical Laboratory Science Recommendations ,
• Choosing Wisely Canada: Clinical Biochemistry Recommendations ,
• Glucose Testing SusQI Project Report