Carol Collingsworth, MBA, MT(ASCP)SC
CLMA Body of Knowledge Domains: Quality and Safety, Medical Decision Support, Information Technology Test Utilization is a strategy for performing appropriate laboratory and pathology testing with the goal of providing high-quality, cost-effective patient care. The knowledge gained from test utilization strategies can be used by the laboratory and shared with physicians to ensure that correct tests are ordered for the correct patients, best test methodologies are utilized, and accuracy and quality remain high, ensuring the best medical care. Interest in Test Utilization has grown over the recent months, partly due to the significant increase in the number of new proprietary and genetic tests with four-figure prices, as well as a renewed focus on Utilization Management in the inpatient setting. The UnityPoint Health Laboratory Affinity Group is composed of UnityPoint Health Affiliate members and was created as a governing council for laboratory and pathology services offered at UPH. The group reports to the UPH senior leadership team through an executive sponsor. Our mission is to support the UPH strategy of System Sustainability (Ensure financial viability through a culture of financial discipline and adoption of best practices in both critical patient care and business processes). To that end we have identified Test Utilization Management as a critical initiative.
