Laboratory stewardship perceptions and testing patterns at a pediatric tertiary care center

Area of Science:

• Medical Diagnostics
• Healthcare Management
• Pediatric Medicine

Background:

• Laboratory testing overuse is a persistent issue despite existing stewardship initiatives.
• Understanding physician perceptions and testing patterns is crucial for effective stewardship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess perceptions of laboratory stewardship among pediatric physicians.
• To analyze laboratory testing patterns and identify overuse at a tertiary care pediatric hospital.
• To pinpoint opportunities for improving laboratory stewardship.

Main Methods:

• An electronic survey was distributed to pediatric medicine residents and staff physicians.
• Laboratory testing data were analyzed to identify patterns and instances of overuse.
• Survey response rate was 54% (43/80).

Main Results:

• Physicians showed good familiarity with stewardship principles but poor knowledge of testing specifics like cost.
• A mobile reference application was the most favored quality improvement intervention.
• Overuse was evident, with 53% of tests repeated within 7 days, and only half of these yielded abnormal results.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a deficit in laboratory stewardship understanding and practice.
• Substantial repeat testing occurred with minimal diagnostic yield, indicating significant overuse.
• Opportunities for targeted interventions to enhance laboratory stewardship in pediatric settings are identified.