- Title
- Does an electronic pathology ordering system change the volume and pattern of routine testing in hospital? An interrupted time series analysis
- Creator
- de Carle, Madeleine; Macnab, Brooke; Utainrat, Jenewa; Herkes-Deane, Jessica; Attia, John; de Malmanche, Theo; Teber, Erdahl; Palazzi, Kerrin; Scowen, Craig; Hure, Alexis
- Relation
- Journal of Clinical Pathology Vol. 77, Issue 8, p. 528-535
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jcp-2023-208850
- Publisher
- BMJ Group
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2023
- Description
- Aims: Identifying and reducing low-value care is a vital issue in Australia, with pathology test ordering a common focus in this field. This study builds on previous research and aimed to quantify the impact of the implementation of an electronic ordering (e-ordering) system on the volume of pathology testing, compared with manual (paper based) ordering. Methods: An audit and analysis of pathology test data were conducted, using an interrupted time series design to investigate the impact of the e-ordering system on pathology ordering patterns. All medical and surgical adult inpatients at a tertiary referral hospital in Newcastle, Australia, were included over a 3-year period. Results: Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in the volume of orders due to the implementation of the e-ordering system. There was a slight increase in the aggregated volume (tests per admission and tests per bed day) of tests ordered across the entire study period, reflecting a secular trend. Conclusions: Despite providing greater visibility and tracking of orders, we conclude that the implementation of an e-ordering system does not, in and of itself, reduce ordering volume. Efforts to identify and reduce low-value care will require intentional effort and specifically designed educational programmes or hard-wired algorithms.
- Subject
- pathology testing; electronic ordering system; health services; time series analysis
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1509797
- Identifier
- uon:56307
- Identifier
- ISSN:0021-9746
- Language
- eng
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