title: Controlling the use of stat testing.
abstract: Overused stat testing consumes an excessive share of the laboratory budget in many health care settings. The clinical practitioners and laboratory personnel in the setting described in this article negotiated a multifaceted program that resulted in a 95 percent reduction in the use of stat testing and improved the turnaround time of stat results for patients with potentially emergent problems. Financial savings from the program allowed a no-growth laboratory budget for the following fiscal year.
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D009922:Oregon; D010337:Pathology Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors