[A proposal to evaluate the productivity and accuracy in diagnostic studies].
OBJECTIVE
to assess the productivity in an Oncology Hospital (OH) and to assess the diagnostic accuracy.


METHODS
an analysis focused on the specimen type received in three General Hospitals (GHs) and one OH was carried. Diagnostic categories were established according with the complexity of the steps involved in the production of a pathology report, the analysis also took in consideration costs. Three monthly plans were created for monitoring the accuracy diagnosis.


RESULTS
four categories of specimen type and diagnostic complexity were found. At the OH, 13,381 cases were studied, of which 7745 (56 %) belong to the number 4 difficult cases category. About 2500 specimens came from each of the three GHs involved, of which 1825 cases (73 %) belong to the routine cases category. The income rate for the OH was that of 52,714,940 pesos as compared with $4,413,800 for the GHs. Routine interdepartmental conferences were selected as the way for improvement in the accuracy of diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
vast majority of cases evaluated at the OH are complex and difficult compared with the cases studied at a GHs.
Alvarado-Cabrero
Isabel
I
Servicio de Patología, Hospital de Oncología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Distrito Federal, México. isa98@prodigy.net.mx
D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D010337:Pathology Department, Hospital; D015203:Reproducibility of Results