Table 1.
Number (%) of specimens from all 355 517 patients having the specified number of tests per 3-year period.a
| 3-year period | Diagnosis | Monitoring | Total | Sensitivity analysis of unnecessary testing | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 test | 2 tests | ≥3 tests | All tests | Lower bound ≥2 tests | Upper bound ≥4 tests | |
| 1987–1989 | 19 666 (53) | 6788 (18) | 10 519 (28) | 36 973 | 17 307 (47) | 6466 (17) |
| 1990–1992 | 31 870 (49) | 11 658 (18) | 20 869 (32) | 64 397 | 32 527 (51) | 13 201 (20) |
| 1993–1995 | 36 608 (57) | 12 734 (20) | 15 270 (24) | 64 612 | 28 004 (43) | 8373 (13) |
| 1996–1998 | 48 524 (43) | 20 794 (18) | 43 579 (39) | 112 897 | 64 373 (57) | 29 362 (26) |
| 1999–2001 | 65 298 (37) | 32 890 (19) | 77 369 (44) | 175 557 | 110 259 (63) | 53 678 (31) |
| 2002–2004 | 76 548 (28) | 52 248 (19) | 140 785 (52) | 269 581 | 193 033 (72) | 96 352 (36) |
| 2005–2007 | 73 031 (21) | 59 780 (17) | 209 963 (61) | 342 774 | 269 743 (79) | 143 417 (42) |
a
Data are broken down by those specimens assumed to be for diagnosis (1–2 tests) and those for monitoring (3+ tests), with a sensitivity analysis showing limits of the numbers of tests that may be unnecessary.