How to evaluate and implement new technologies in an era of managed care and cost containment

New technologies often enable clinical laboratorians to overcome the challenges we face. These technologies sometimes become available with amazing punctuality, addressing recent problems and keeping the physician-customer satisfied for another day. Traditionally, developments such as a new cancer marker have been implemented into routine use with little circumspection because the benefits diagnostically and financially were perceived to far outweigh the risk that the new test or technology was not as effective as described. The notion of subsequently removing older tests inferior to the new one has hardly been considered. The challenges confronting clinical laboratorians today, however, are affecting that typical pattern dramatically. Four of the most pervasive challenges are comprehensively examined in the 1995 Clinical Chemistry Forum. One of these key areas--the proper implementation of modern technology in the form of new tests or new approaches to producing clinical laboratory results--is the main topic of this review.