[Improvement of prescriptions for serum tumor markers in a general hospital].
OBJECTIVE
Using a standardized prescription sheet we attempted to improve requests for serum tumor markers in a general hospital.


METHODS
Over two 35-day periods before and one year after defining a local prescription consensus and introducing a new prescription sheet, we counted the number of orders for five tumor markers (CEA, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, CA 125, alpha FP) and determined their compliance to the defined prescription protocol.


RESULTS
Between the two study periods, the number of prescriptions for the designated tumor markers fell by 24%, from 153 requests in 94 patients to 123 requests in 99 patients, despite a 6% increase in the number of admissions. There was a significant reduction in the number of serum markers orders per prescription (from 1.6 to 1.2) although the distribution by tumor marker remained unchanged. Compliance to the prescription protocol improved, rising from 65 to 87% in units where the pre-protocol compliance rate was below 80%. The rate of compliance was not correlated with correct completion of the new prescription sheet (91% vs 86% respectively). The 6-month cost-savings was estimated at 31,104 FF using the general French nomenclature for laboratory tests. Direct cost reduction was estimated at 5,688 FF.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-lasting improvement of serum tumor marker prescriptions can be achieved in a general hospital. Obtaining a local consensus implicating all prescribing units seems more important than a change in the presentation of the prescription sheet.
Unité d'Hépatogastroentérologie, Centre Hospitalier, Pau Université.
A
A
Pariente
J
J
Prevost
N
N
Montaut
N
N
Quesnel-Tueux
J M
JM
Boulet
Y
Y
Gasnier
C
C
Mangon
M
M
Malet
M
M
Merlet
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D005602:France; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
Amélioration de la prescription de marqueurs tumoraux sériques dans un hôpital général.