title: Efficient diagnostic test sequence: applications of the probability-modifying plot.
abstract: Excessive diagnostic testing rarely leads to complete certainty of the disease status of a patient. Because of constraints of health care budgets, physicians should be aware of the diminishing marginal gain of each subsequent test in a testing strategy related to costs. We developed the probability-modifying plot to determine economically efficient sequence of testing without losing clinical effectiveness. Two applications of the model are presented: diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori and diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The probability-modifying plots are drawn to visualize and calculate the economic efficiency of all possible test sequences, meaning that although the different test sequences are equally accurate, some have even lower costs than others.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department of Technology Assessment (253 MTA), University Medical Centre, St. Radboud, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. h.severens@mie.kun.nl
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Severens
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sonke
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Laheij
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: De Vries Robbé
mesh_terms: D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis