Laboratory Review of Genetic Test Orders Cuts Errors, Costs

Three percent of genetic test orders are cancelled or modified due to an order error found during a utilization management (UM) review of higher risk orders, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Furthermore, clinicians without specialty training in genetics make genetic test order errors at a significantly higher rate than geneticists. Ensuring the laboratory is actively involved in the diagnostic workup through UM review is important to minimize diagnostic errors and unnecessary costs to patients. Previous studies identified diagnostic errors tied to mistakes in test selection and ordering. Additionally, send-out test orders, particularly, for genetic tests remain a costly issue for laboratories. However, results show that lab UM programs can address both of these issues—effectively decreasing send-out testing costs and minimizing errors associated with genetic test orders. The researchers retrospectively analyzed a UM case database at a pediatric, tertiary care medical center consisting of 1,393 genetic test orders (September 2012 to February 2015). Reviewers categorized order modifications and cancellations, quantified positive results and order errors, and compared errors by provider (genetics with nongenetics) for both inpatient and outpatient orders. Cancellations were characterized as resulting from cost, redundancy, inappropriateness, lack of […]