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The Effect of Allowing Clinical Discretion in Ordering Biochemical Tests: Evaluation by Complementar Methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Ken Buckingham
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Ian Russell
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Iain Ross
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Patrick Gibson
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
Neil Paterson
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen

Abstract

We describe the effects on costs, working patterns, and clinical behavior of installing a DAX “discretionary” biochemistry analyzer. Use of the new analyzer encouraged doctors to be more specific in requesting biochemical tests, which substantially reduced the number of tests requested and slightly reduced overall costs. Doctors preferred being able to order tests in this more specific way.

Type
Research Notes
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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References

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