Clinical Laboratory Overutilization
Speaker:
Michael Astion, MD, PhD, HTBE
Contact Hours:
1.0
Date:
October 12, 2025 - October 31, 2027
Description:
This lecture informs lab managers and supervisors why clinicians often order too many laboratory tests. This session details a number of different interventions to optimize laboratory use. The interventions vary from gentle guidance to strong test ordering restrictions. These successful interventions result in decreased clinical and laboratory costs and increased value to patients.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the common reasons why clinicians overutilize laboratory testing and the impact this has on clinical and laboratory operations.
- Describe a range of interventions that can be implemented to optimize laboratory test utilization, from educational approaches to restrictive ordering policies.
- Assess the outcomes of laboratory test optimization strategies, including reduced costs and improved value of care for patients.