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Related Experiment Videos

The effect of a hepatitis serology testing algorithm on laboratory utilization.

Carl van Walraven1, Vivek Goel

  • 1Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Canada. carlv@ohri.ca

Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
|August 8, 2002
PubMed
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A new hepatitis serology testing algorithm in Ontario did not reduce test use. Instead, the algorithm was linked to a small but significant rise in hepatitis serological tests ordered.

Area of Science:

  • * Clinical laboratory science
  • * Public health policy
  • * Hepatitis diagnostics

Background:

  • * Hepatitis serological tests are crucial for diagnosing and managing viral hepatitis.
  • * Over-utilization of these tests was suspected in Ontario, Canada.
  • * A testing algorithm was implemented to optimize test ordering.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To evaluate the impact of a new hepatitis serology testing algorithm on test utilization.
  • * To determine if the algorithm could decrease the number of hepatitis serological tests performed.

Main Methods:

  • * Population-based retrospective observational study (July 1991-December 1999).
  • * Analysis of viral hepatitis serological testing at private laboratories in Ontario.

Related Experiment Videos

  • * Comparison of test utilization before and after algorithm implementation (September 1996).

    • Main Results:

    • * Time-series modeling indicated a slight but statistically significant increase in hepatitis serology utilization (P < 0.05).
    • * The algorithm was associated with an increase of 30 serological tests per 100,000 population per month.
    • * The implemented algorithm did not achieve its goal of decreasing test utilization.

    Conclusions:

    • * The hepatitis serology testing algorithm implemented in Ontario did not significantly decrease utilization.
    • * A slight, statistically significant increase in serology utilization rates was observed.
    • * The study suggests that the algorithm may have inadvertently increased test ordering.