The effect of allowing clinical discretion in ordering biochemical tests. Evaluation by complementary methods.
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.
Buckingham
K
K
University of Aberdeen.
Russell
I
I
Ross
I
I
Gibson
P
P
Paterson
N
N
D001322:Autoanalysis / Q000295:instrumentation; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics; D012606:Scotland