Table.
Frequency of Unnecessary Tests by Chart Review (Total 177 Patients) and Tests Not Identified as Having Been Performed by Frontline Providers (49 Patients)
| Test Type | Frequency of Unnecessary Tests (Chart Review) | Frequency of Unnecessary Tests (per Frontline Providers) | Frequency Tests Were Missed by Frontline Providers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory tests | |||
| PT/PTT | 67% (87/130) | 75% (15/20) | 47% (18/38) |
| Liver function tests | 59% (72/122) | 67% (12/18) | 49% (17/35) |
| Urinalysis | 50% (50/100) | 45% (9/20) | 29% (8/28) |
| Lactate | 49% (26/53) | 14% (1/7) | 46% (6/13) |
| Troponin | 29% (15/52) | 42% (5/12) | 20% (3/15) |
| BNP | 18% (6/34) | 0% (0/5) | 50% (5/10) |
| Chemistry 7 panel | 3% (6/177) | 6% (3/47) | 2% (1/49) |
| Complete blood count (CBC) | 3% (5/175) | 6% (3/47) | 0% (0/47) |
| Imaging tests | |||
| Chest x-ray | 42% (44/106) | 42% (8/19) | 27% (7/26) |
| Lower extremity ultrasound | 33% (2/6) | 50% (1/2) | 50% (2/4) |
| CT head | 29% (11/38) | 25% (1/4) | 56% (5/9) |
| ECG | 23% (30/129) | 29% (6/21) | 45% (17/38) |
| Abdominal x-ray | 20% (2/10) | 0% (0/3) | 25% (1/4) |
| CT chest | 15% (5/34) | 14% (1/7) | 0% (0/7) |
| Abdominal ultrasound | 13% (1/8) | 50% (1/2) | 0% (0/2) |
| Transthoracic echocardiogram | 12% (2/17) | 0% (0/4) | 33% (2/6) |
| CT abdomen | 11% (3/27) | 0% (0/5) | 17% (1/6) |
| MRI of the head | 0% (0/2) | N/A | N/A |
| Microbiology tests | |||
| Urine culture | 44% (17/39) | 20% (1/5) | 44% (4/9) |
| Blood culture | 36% (15/42) | 38% (3/8) | 11% (1/9) |
BNP = brain natriuretic peptide; CT = computerized tomography; ECG = electrocardiogram; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging; N/A = test not performed on patients cared for by frontline providers; PT/PTT = prothrombin time/partial thromboplastin time.