title: Regional variations in test requiring patterns of general practitioners in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the requesting patterns for a range of laboratory tests ordered in 2009 from eight laboratories providing services to eight health areas, using appropriate indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Indicators measured every test request per 1,000 inhabitants, and indicators that measured the number of tests per related test requested by general practitioners were calculated. The savings generated, if each Health Care Department achieved the appropriate indicator standard, were also calculated. Laboratory Information System registers were collected, and indicators were calculated automatically in each laboratory using a data warehouse application.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a large difference in demand for tests by health areas. The ratio of related tests also showed a great variability. The savings generated if each Health Care Department had achieved the appropriate indicator standard were €172,116 for free thyroxine, €18,289 for aspartate aminotransferase, and €62,678 for urea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considerable variability exists in general practitioners' demand for laboratory tests.
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hospital Universitario de San Juan, Alicante, Spain.
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Salinas
authors: Maite
authors: M
authors: López-Garrigós
authors: Julián
authors: J
authors: Díaz
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Ortuño
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Yago
authors: Begoña
authors: B
authors: Laíz
authors: Arturo
authors: A
authors: Carratala
authors: Virtudes
authors: V
authors: Chinchilla
authors: Goizane
authors: G
authors: Marcaida
authors: Enrique
authors: E
authors: Rodriguez-Borja
authors: Angel
authors: A
authors: Esteban
authors: Marcos
authors: M
authors: Guaita
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Aguado
authors: Miguel A
authors: MA
authors: Lorente
authors: Emilio
authors: E
authors: Flores
authors: Joaquín
authors: J
authors: Uris
mesh_terms: D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013030:Spain