Utilization management in microbiology.

Area of Science:

• Clinical Laboratory Science
• Healthcare Management
• Infectious Disease Control

Background:

• Utilization management literature is sparse for clinical microbiology compared to core laboratory testing.
• Microbiology test results significantly influence clinical care costs, especially antimicrobial and infection control expenses.
• Existing utilization management strategies can be adapted for clinical microbiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review utilization management strategies applicable to the clinical microbiology laboratory.
• To highlight successful interventions targeting test volume and downstream healthcare costs.
• To provide examples from various healthcare organizations.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on utilization management in clinical laboratories.
• Application of core laboratory utilization strategies to microbiology.
• Analysis of decision support systems, evidence-based medicine, screening algorithms, and gatekeeper functions.
• Examination of interventions impacting test volume and downstream costs.

Main Results:

• Utilization management strategies from core labs are transferable to clinical microbiology.
• Successful interventions focus on both laboratory test volume and associated patient care costs.
• Specific examples demonstrate the effectiveness of these strategies in real-world settings.

Conclusions:

• Effective utilization management in clinical microbiology is achievable using established strategies.
• Interventions can lead to significant cost savings in antimicrobial agents and infection control.
• Further research and implementation of these strategies are warranted.