title: Implementation of guidelines for preoperative laboratory investigations in patients scheduled to undergo elective surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact on preoperative laboratory investigations in elective surgery after the implementation of guidelines for ordering such tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart audit.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of 903 patients who underwent an elective surgical procedure from each surgical specialty except cardiovascular and thoracic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Implementation of guidelines for preoperative laboratory investigations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Impact on the preoperative use of laboratory investigations after implementation of the guidelines as well as patient morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of preoperative laboratory investigations done per patient decreased from 4.65 before implementation of the guidelines to 4.18 after (p < 0.001). There was no apparent adverse impact on patient morbidity or mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of guidelines for preoperative laboratory investigations for elective surgery resulted in a reduction in the number of tests without adverse impact on patient morbidity or mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ont.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Larocque
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Maykut
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative