Table 3. Ten most commonly ordered tests with repetition rates and rates of normal tests remaining normal on retesting.
| Test | Tests by primary care physician, n | Repeats, n (%) | Normal results on first test being repeated, n (%) |
Normal repeats remaining normal, n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | 247 | 217 (88) | 141 (84) | 134 (95) |
| MCV | 237 | 204 (86) | 170 (85) | 163 (96) |
| Leucocytes | 227 | 198 (87) | 154 (85) | 136 (88) |
| Creatinine | 213 | 185 (87) | 152 (85) | 147 (97) |
| ESR | 198 | 151 (76) | 96 (77) | 95 (99) |
| TSH | 192 | 141 (73) | 129 (75) | 125 (97) |
| Glucose | 191 | 114 (60) | 73 (57) | 57 (78) |
| Thrombocytes | 188 | 162 (86) | 142 (85) | 136 (96) |
| ALT | 164 | 136 (83) | 111 (80) | 103 (93) |
| Leucocyte differential | 156 | 114 (73) | 106 (72) | 82 (77) |
ALT = alanine transaminase. ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate. MCV = mean corpuscular volume. TSH = thyroid stimulating hormone.