title: The value-added laboratory: an opportunity to merge research and service objectives.
abstract: The changing health-care environment is creating a new opportunities for laboratory medicine professionals that correspond with the new health services research agendas. Proving cost-effectiveness and conducting outcomes assessment are becoming vital functions of laboratories in this era of managed care. Laboratorians must take advantage of the resulting opportunities to show how they add value and medical relevance to the health-care delivery system.
authors.affiliation: Birmingham Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000639:trends; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014481:United States