Table 3. Low-Value Preoperative Tests Received by Veterans Health Administration Patients for Cataract Surgical Procedures in Fiscal Year 2017.
| Preoperative test | Patients receiving ≥1 tests, No. (%) | Total tests, No. | Total cost, $ | Cost per test, $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete blood count | 6231 (28.2) | 22 095 | 228 515 | 10.34 |
| Basic metabolic profile | 4145 (19.1) | 21 704 | 271 875 | 12.50 |
| Electrocardiography | 7434 (29.9) | 24 862 | 352 888 | 14.19 |
| Urinalysis | 795 (9.6) | 8282 | 30 359 | 3.66 |
| Chest radiograph | 489 (8.2) | 5969 | 608 826 | 101.99 |
| Pulmonary function tests | 127 (3.4) | 3747 | 70 476 | 18.80 |
| Transthoracic echocardiogram | 8 (1.0) | 840 | 542 811 | 646.20 |
| Cardiac stress test | 35 (0.5) | 693 | 491 874 | 709.77 |
| Total | 43 302 (49.1)a | 88 193 | 2 597 623 | 29.45 |
a
Percentage of surgical procedures getting at least 1 test.