What is the effect of electronic pathology ordering on test re-ordering patterns for paediatric patients?

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Laboratory Medicine
• Pediatric Healthcare

Background:

• Electronic ordering systems offer potential for optimizing pathology service utilization.
• Assessing the impact of electronic systems on clinical practice is crucial for healthcare improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of electronic pathology ordering on repeat test rates in pediatric patients (0-18 years).
• To compare repeat ordering patterns between electronic and paper-based systems in intensive care units (ICUs) and general wards.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 85,728 pathology tests for 5,073 children before and after electronic ordering implementation.
• Comparison of repeat test rates across different age groups and care settings (ICU vs. non-ICU).

Main Results:

• Electronic ordering significantly lowered repeat test rates for pediatric patients in ICUs.
• Reduced repeat tests within 23 hours were observed for children over one year in non-ICU wards with electronic ordering.
• A consistent decrease in repeat tests within one hour was noted for older children in all wards and younger children in ICUs using electronic systems.

Conclusions:

• Electronic pathology ordering systems, with features like alerts and previous order visibility, effectively reduce unnecessary repeat tests.
• Implementation of electronic systems can enhance efficiency and potentially lower healthcare costs by minimizing redundant laboratory investigations.