Lab testing overload: a comprehensive analysis of overutilization in hospital-based settings
Open accessAbstract
Overuse of laboratory tests has been a growing problem in the inpatient hospital setting for years, which adds to the rising cost of care. Various factors come into play, such as clinical routines, lack of cost transparency, and the convenience of electronic health record-based ordering. The financial ramifications of the overuse are significant, as lab costs drive most medical decisions. Eliminating unnecessary testing with clinical decision support and best practices is associated with marked cost savings, improved outcomes, and decreased patient distress. The excessive use of laboratory tests highly affects patients, resulting in hospital-induced anemia, low patient satisfaction, and poor outcomes. Tackling lab overuse requires a multifaceted approach that includes education, technology, and policy changes. In the era of precision healthcare, optimizing test utilization can reduce costs, decrease waste, and improve patient care.
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- Authors
- Shaik, T., Mahmood, R., Kanagala, S. G., Kaur, H., Mendpara, V., Gupta, V., Aggarwal, P., Anamika, F., Garg, N., & Jain, R.
- Affiliations
- Avalon University School of Medicine (CW)
- Metropolitan Hospital Center (US)
- St. Elizabeth's Medical Center (US)
- Government Medical College (IN)
- Dayanand Medical College & Hospital (IN)
- Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana (IN)
- University College of Medical Sciences (IN)
- Children's Hospital of Michigan (US)
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jain, Rohit
- ORCID
- Venue
- Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2023-12-04
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 312-316
- ISSN
- 0899-8280 (ISSN-L)
- 1525-3252
- PMC
- PMC10857549
- OpenAlex
- W4389305555
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 1.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare cost, quality, practices
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Clinical Laboratory Practices and Quality Control
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Electronic Health Records Systems
- Keywords
- inpatient laboratory testing, hospital costs, clinical decision support, cost transparency, patient satisfaction, precision medicine, medical waste
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