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Utilization management: a European perspective.
Mario Plebani1, Martina Zaninotto, Diego Faggian
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, University-Hospital, Padova, Italy.
Summary
Utilization management (UM) in healthcare improves efficiency and quality. Demand management strategies in clinical laboratories, involving physicians and patients with combined interventions, are key to reducing costs and enhancing laboratory medicine.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Laboratory Science
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Utilization management (UM) is crucial for healthcare efficiency and effectiveness.
- Clinical laboratories require UM to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and improve patient quality.
- Consolidation and networking in labs aim for economies of scale but lack evidence and raise concerns about errors and communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of demand management strategies in European clinical laboratories.
- To identify key components for successful UM initiatives in laboratory medicine.
- To address the need for cost reduction and quality improvement in clinical laboratories.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on UM and demand management in laboratory medicine.
- Analysis of strategies focused on improving test requesting and laboratory efficiency.
- Emphasis on combined interventions and stakeholder involvement.
Main Results:
- Demand management is increasingly emphasized in European clinical laboratories for cost reduction and quality improvement.
- Inappropriate test requesting incurs significant costs beyond consumables.
- Successful interventions require active involvement of physicians, stakeholders, and patients, utilizing combined strategies.
Conclusions:
- Effective demand management in clinical laboratories necessitates a holistic approach, integrating pre-, within-, and post-laboratory initiatives.
- Physician and patient engagement, alongside multi-faceted strategies, are essential for successful utilization management.
- Focusing on demand management is critical for optimizing resource allocation and enhancing quality in laboratory medicine.
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