Evaluation of the interest in ordering the leucocyte differential count

The development of technical innovations which has taken place during the last 10 years in the medical field, has resulted in a rapid growth of laboratory investigations. The diffusion of these techniques has induced the systemacy in the prescription of certain tests without reconsidering the information they give. The analysis that has been made in Henri Mondor Hospital on the case of the white blood cells differential deals with this question. Has the white blood cells differential to be considered as a systematic test? What are the technological implications at stake? Can we propose strategies in this field for the use of equipment? A study has been made in order to answer these different questions. The study concerns 1514 requests for hematologic tests and 863 patients in order to characterize the prescriptions, to measure their interest and to evaluate their opportuneness. Furthermore, the contribution of decision-making aids in rationalizing the prescriptions has been evaluated in parallel to this study.