Pattern, Determinants, and Costing Review of Send-out Tests in a Secondary Care Hospital Setting in Saudi Arabia
Journal Title: International Blood Research & Reviews - Year 2016, Vol 6, Issue 4
Abstract
Background: The need for advanced laboratory tests, mostly performed at reference laboratories, increases over time. Officials have to choose between “send-out” testing or introducing such tests among their test menus, bearing necessary cost. Aim: This study aims to identify the distribution pattern of send-out testing at the A Hada Armed Forces Hospital (AHAFH), in Taif relevant cost and associated factors. Methods: A study review of all send-out tests of all varieties during fiscal year (FY) 2011 was conducted. Results: It was found that 2,986 reference laboratory tests out of total 3,675,000 tests were processed during the study period, comprising 0.11% of the total test volume. The total cost of send-out testing accounted up to €168,903.5 [range €370.8, minimum €12.2, maximum €383.0, median €50.0, inter-quartile range (IQR) €48.86], and constituting 11.7% of the total laboratory budget in fiscal year (FY) 2011. The variability in the cost of send-out tests was statistically significant [H(6)=898.39, p<0.001]. The cost of send-outs highly correlated with the turnaround time (TAT) (r=0.77, p<0.001). Conclusions: The study furnishes a database that can be used for conducting an in-depth cost-effectiveness analysis to help introduce priority reference tests to AHAFH laboratory test menu to minimize the “wait time” until disease diagnosis has been done. New measures to adjust send-out testing may be developed to help physicians make sound send-out decision choices.
Authors and Affiliations
Raouf Afifi, Abdulla Al Amri
Pure Red Cell Aplasia in a Patient with Cri-Du-Chat
Background: The Cri-Du-Chat syndrome also known as 5p- syndrome is a rare genetic autosomal disorder with the characteristic deletion of the short arm (p) of chromosome 5. To date, hematologic manifestations characteris...
Relationships between Blood Transfusion, Severity of Injury and Outcome of Severely Injured Patients Admitted to a Trauma Intensive Care Unit in Nigeria: An Observational Study
Background: Anaemia is common in critically ill trauma patients admitted into the Intensive Care Unit. The aetiology of the anaemia in trauma patients is often multi-factorial, usually resulting from the trauma event, fr...
Progesterone and 17β-Estradiol Levels during Normal Pregnancy and the Puerperium among Women Attending a Tertiary Health Facility Clinic in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
Introduction: Progesterone and Estrogen are the chief pregnancy hormones. Their levels increase during pregnancy to aid successful maintenance of pregnancy, which depends on maternal tolerance of the fetal semi allograft...
Some Blood Cell Changes and Alteration in Renal and Hepatic Function in Pre-eclampsia: A Study in Owerri Nigeria
Aims: We studied some blood cell changes and alterations in renal and hepatic functions in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia and determined baselines for the population in owerri, south east Nigeria. Study Design: It was a cro...
An Immunohistochemical Study of PRAME Expression in Non-hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Aim: Preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer-testis antigen with very low/no expression in normal tissues. PRAME is an important target for tumor immunotherapy. Prognostic and in some tumors pred...