An Electronic Strategy for Eliminating Unnecessary Duplicate Genetic Testing.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Clinical Genetics
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Duplicate constitutional genetic testing contributes to healthcare waste.
• Efficient systems are needed to prevent redundant diagnostic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an electronic intervention aimed at preventing duplicate constitutional genetic tests.
• To assess the effectiveness, cost savings, and override patterns of the electronic intervention.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of an electronic intervention to block duplicate genetic tests.
• Analysis of intervention activation frequency, affected test types, cost savings, and override request justifications.

Main Results:

• The intervention successfully prevented 710 duplicate genetic tests over three years, resulting in $98,596 in cost savings.
• High alert frequencies were observed for presurgical and transplant screening tests, often within order sets.
• Most override requests were attributed to initial programming limitations regarding exclusion codes.

Conclusions:

• Well-designed electronic interventions can significantly reduce waste and healthcare costs associated with duplicate genetic testing.
• These systems enhance patient care by ensuring providers are aware of previously performed tests.