[Good laboratory management and clinical laboratory physician]

Medical expenses have been increasing annually, and reducing expenses while maintaining effective medical care is desirable. In the late 1990s, Japanese government introduced policies expected to improve the medical security system. In the clinical laboratory field, some revisions such as packaging of certain tests(blanket test), separation between performance and interpretation fees for laboratory test, proper use of tumor markers, and additional fees for sample management. Japanese government also wants the clinical laboratory to return accurate laboratory test result to patients and physicians. Laboratory physicians have to make a great effort to manage clinical laboratories according to the guideline for GIOs of laboratory physicians from the Japanese Society of Clinical Pathology. The laboratory physician is the key person for good laboratory management.