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Controlling the cost of quality control.
Clinics in Laboratory Medicine
|December 1, 1986
Summary
Implementing cost-effective quality control in clinical laboratories requires balancing analytic precision, medical utility, and economic constraints. This review explores strategies for optimizing laboratory performance while managing expenses.
Area of Science:
- Clinical chemistry
- Laboratory management
- Health economics
Background:
- Modern clinical laboratories face pressure to balance technological advancements with economic limitations.
- Existing quality control (QC) criteria may not adequately address cost-effectiveness.
- Monitoring laboratory performance necessitates considering analytic precision, clinical utility, and financial viability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of current QC criteria on clinical laboratories, regulators, and vendors.
- To identify factors contributing to high QC costs.
- To propose strategies for developing cost-effective QC programs.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing quality control criteria and their economic implications.
- Analysis of factors influencing the cost of quality control in clinical settings.
- Exploration of strategies for optimizing QC programs for cost-effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Current QC criteria can lead to excessive costs for clinical laboratories.
- Several factors contribute to the high financial burden of QC.
- Effective strategies can be developed to create more economical QC programs.
Conclusions:
- A shift towards cost-effective quality control is essential for sustainable laboratory operations.
- Balancing performance monitoring with economic realities is crucial.
- Implementing strategic QC programs can improve efficiency and reduce costs without compromising quality.