Abstract

Objective. To analyze the requesting patterns for a range of laboratory tests ordered in 2009 from eight laboratories providing services to eight health areas, using appropriate indicators.

Design. Indicators measured every test request per 1,000 inhabitants, and indicators that measured the number of tests per related test requested by general practitioners were calculated. The savings generated, if each Health Care Department achieved the appropriate indicator standard, were also calculated. Laboratory Information System registers were collected, and indicators were calculated automatically in each laboratory using a data warehouse application.

Results. There was a large difference in demand for tests by health areas. The ratio of related tests also showed a great variability. The savings generated if each Health Care Department had achieved the appropriate indicator standard were €172,116 for free thyroxine, €18,289 for aspartate aminotransferase, and €62,678 for urea.

Conclusions. Considerable variability exists in general practitioners' demand for laboratory tests.

Details

Title
Regional variations in test requiring patterns of general practitioners in Spain
Author
Salinas, María 1 ; López-Garrigós, Maite 1 ; DÍaz, Julián 2 ; Ortuño, Mario 3 ; Martin, Yago 4 ; Laíz, Begoña 5 ; Carratala, Arturo 6 ; Chinchilla, Virtudes 7 ; Marcaida, Goizane 8 ; Rodriguez-Borja, Enrique 6 ; Angel, Esteban 7 ; Guaita, Marcos 8 ; Aguado, Cristina 5 ; Lorente, Miguel A 9 ; Flores, Emilio 1 ; Uris, JoaquÍn 10 

 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital Universitario de San Juan, Alicante, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital Francesc Borja, Gandía, Valencia, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital de la Ribera, Alzira, Valencia, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital de Requena, Valencia, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital Clinico Universitario, Valencia, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Spain 
 Department of Clinical Laboratory,Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Spain 
 Department of Information Systems,Roche Diagnostics, Valencia, Spain 
10  Department of Public Health,University of Alicante, Spain 
End page
251
Publication year
2011
Publication date
Nov 2011
Publisher
Open Academia
ISSN
03009734
e-ISSN
20001967
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2199206595
Copyright
© Informa Healthcare. 2011. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.