Aksoy Gökmen, A Ege Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Turkey , Zeytinoğlu, A Ege Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Turkey

Evaluation of unnecessary test requests from clinical virology-serology laboratory

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Aim: Two thousand consecutive laboratory requests from Virology-Serology Laboratory made within 20 days were evaluated for unnecessary test request and their costs.Materials and Methods: Two thousand consecutive laboratory requests from Virology-Serology Laboratory made within 20 days in two different periods were evaluated for unnecessary requests and tests. Unnecessary requests were determined by examining the clinical setting in which they were requested, ICD-10 codes, physician who made the request and prior viral serology test results in the laboratory. The cost of these unnecessary test request were calculated.Results: From 2000 laboratory requests there were 10,130 tests requested from the laboratory. Unnecessary laboratory requests were 302 and unnecessary test requests were 718 from these 2000 patients. In the first period, 15.6% and in the second period 14.6% laboratory requests were evaluated as an unnecessary request. Unnecessary tests were 0.77% in the first period and 0.64% in the second period. The cost of the unnecessary test requests were calculated to be 6068 TL for 20 days and approximately 79,000 TL for a year.Conclusion: Virology- Serology laboratories should continually monitor these high cost unnecessary test requests. To activate the control mechanisms to avoid these unnecessary test requests, collaboration of clinicians, laboratories and hospital management is necessary.

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Virology , serology laboratory requests , unnecessary laboratory tests , unnecessary test requests

Ege Journal Of Medicine

161