Today’s clinical hematology laboratory offers a large array of blood product tests contributing to a full service laboratory profile that also includes chemistry, immunology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics, and immunohematology tests. These practice areas comprise more than 4000 different laboratory tests for clinical use, of which, approximately 500 are ordered on a daily basis. An estimated 7 to 10 billion laboratory tests are performed each year in the United States.
Accordingly, test utilization is an ongoing and essential aspect of clinical stewardship. The hematology lab benefits greatly from advanced diagnostic automation, but as with any specialization in the lab, measures must be taken to maximize the utility of laboratory staff and analyzers.
Tips to Refine Test Utilization
The following information is a summary of initiatives adopted from ClinLab Navigator, a resource for laboratory professionals with more than 700 laboratory test interpretations, test utilization guidelines, and transfusion guidelines. These are general tips that laboratories can customize and implement to help reduce excessive, ineffective, unnecessary, and redundant testing.
General Lab Utilization Reduction Tips
Hematology-Specific Test Utilization Reduction Tips
Hospital Transfusion Service
Recipient Testing
Donor Testing Policies
Cord Blood
Conclusion
These general tips are meant to be incorporated into current hematology-related operations in order to assist in establishing proper utilization of hematology laboratory testing resources. For more information, visit www.clinlabnavigator.com.
WHERE TO FIND
Hematology Analyzers
Suppliers
Abbot Diagnostics
Beckman Coulter
CellaVision
Clinical Diagnostics Solutions
Horiba Medical
Mindray
Siemens
Sysmex
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