What are the barriers to implement laboratory utilization management plans

The rising cost of health care all around the world has made it necessary to manage medical care expenditures. Healthcare resources are to improve the value and impact of health care delivery. Laboratory tests offer value only if they are: valid i.e. they provide highly accurate information; clinically effective i.e. they contribute to improved patient-centered outcomes; and cost effective i.e. they provide benefit to patients at acceptable costs.Laboratory Utilization management has been a well-known effective approach to control costs of laboratory services. A number of strategies (tools) for addressing laboratory utilization management have been described in the literature. It is important to select the right utilization management tools and devise implementation plans accordingly. There are many reasons utilization management plans do not get into practice or only do with a very long delay. Moreover, a number of drivers fuel overutilization of laboratory tests.In this article practical aspects of utilization management implementation plans will be reviewed using the reports collected from office of laboratory affairs of medical universities across the country. The article also explains common barriers to implementation and discusses the motives for inappropriate utilization of the laboratory services. Finally, recommendations will be made for approaches that are thought to be most effective and that can be adopted to close the gap between plans and practice and channel the precious resources to support the better management of patients from the savings achieved by rationalization.

کلیدواژه ها:

Health care expenditure ، laboratory utilization management