Abstract
This paper urges the benefits of applying more widely a method for pathology laboratory costing originally devised for a clinical chemistry department, and illustrates these with examples drawn from costing studies in three clinical laboratories. Heads of pathology departments, laboratory managers, administrators and clinicians require different kinds of costing information, each of which can be obtained by the costing procedure outlined. The method also yields valuable and sometimes surprising insights into the workings of a pathology service. Cost comparisons between different laboratories can now become more informative. Flaws in the concept of the "cost per test" are discussed and the value of this concept is questioned; for most purposes the cost per request has greater application.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Broughton P. M., Hogan T. C. A new approach to the costing of clinical laboratory tests. Ann Clin Biochem. 1981 Nov;18(Pt 6):330–342. doi: 10.1177/000456328101800603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cohen D. I., Jones P., Littenberg B., Neuhauser D. Does cost information availability reduce physician test usage? A randomized clinical trial with unexpected findings. Med Care. 1982 Mar;20(3):286–292. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198203000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Eisenberg J. M., Williams S. V. Cost containment and changing physicians' practice behavior. Can the fox learn to guard the chicken coop? JAMA. 1981 Nov 13;246(19):2195–2201. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Forrest J. B., Ritchie W. P., Jr, Hudson M., Harlan J. F., Jr Cost containment through cost awareness: a strategy that failed. Surgery. 1981 Aug;90(2):154–158. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Griner P. F., Glaser R. J. Sounding boards. Misuse of laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures. N Engl J Med. 1982 Nov 18;307(21):1336–1339. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198211183072109. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Grivell A. R., Forgie H. J., Fraser C. G., Berry M. N. Effect of feedback to clinical staff of information on clinical biochemistry requesting patterns. Clin Chem. 1981 Oct;27(10):1717–1720. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hardwick D. F., Morrison J. I., Tydeman J., Cassidy P. A., Chase W. H. Laboratory costs and utilization: a framework for analysis and policy design. J Med Educ. 1981 Apr;56(4):307–315. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Klatt E. C., Wasef E. S., Wong E. T. Creatine kinase in a biochemical test panel: the high cost of a seemingly inexpensive test. Am J Clin Pathol. 1982 Mar;77(3):280–284. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/77.3.280. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Krieg A. F., Israel M., Fink R., Shearer L. K. An approach to cost analysis of clinical laboratory services. Am J Clin Pathol. 1978 May;69(5):525–536. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/69.5.525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Martin A. R., Wolf M. A., Thibodeau L. A., Dzau V., Braunwald E. A trial of two strategies to modify the test-ordering behavior of medical residents. N Engl J Med. 1980 Dec 4;303(23):1330–1336. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198012043032304. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sandler G. Costs of unnecessary tests. Br Med J. 1979 Jul 7;2(6181):21–24. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6181.21. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Stilwell J. A. Costs of a clinical chemistry laboratory. J Clin Pathol. 1981 Jun;34(6):589–594. doi: 10.1136/jcp.34.6.589. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]