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- Title
Cost of Unnecessary Repeat Requesting of Tests for HBsAg, Anti-HCV and Anti-HIV Screening in a University Hospital.
- Authors
DEMİRAY, Tayfur; KÖROĞLU, Mehmet; KARAKEÇE, Engin; ÖZBEK, Ahmet; ALTINDİŞ, Mustafa
- Abstract
Objective: Serological markers related to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency viruses are mainly used in the diagnosis of hepatitis B, C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, and determination of chronic or carrier state of patients. However, HBsAg, anti-hepatit C virus (HCV) and anti-HIV tests are also requested for public health surveillance, preoperative screening purposes and medical reports (individuals without hepatitis and/ or AIDS prediagnosis for non-diagnostic purposes). We aimed to investigate the cost of unnecessary repeat requesting of tests for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV screening which were repeated 2 or more times in a five-year-period ordered for non-diagnostic purposes. Materials and Methods: Patients tested for any medical reason for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV during a five-year-period were evaluated retrospectively. Tests repeated in patients with viral hepatitis for medical reasons, those in accordance with predetermined viral hepatitis algorithms, and tests necessarily repeated by the laboratory were excluded. Results: The number of at least one-time-repeated tests with all the positive or negative results in a five-year period was 38.822 for HBsAg, 38074 for anti-HCV and 23.332 for anti-HIV. The repeated tests constituted 20.2% of all tests. Noteworthy, there were even up to 20 times unnecessarily repeated tests. Conclusion: Repeated HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV tests impose a significant financial burden on the national economy. The total cost of unnecessary repeat requesting of tests in our hospital in a five-year-period was found to be 6.489 USD. When a calculation was made according to the ratio of inappropriately repeated tests to total tests done in the whole country, the total financial loss was estimated as a huge value as 1.042.215 USD only for 3 test parameters. After controlling indications for tests, establishing control and warning steps in the social security systems and hospital automation networks, financial burden could be reduced to a much more reasonable levels.
- Subjects
HEPATITIS diagnosis; DIAGNOSIS of HIV infections; VIRAL antigens; PREOPERATIVE care; ACADEMIC medical centers; REPORT writing; UNNECESSARY surgery; MEDICAL screening; PUBLIC health; RETROSPECTIVE studies; MEDICAL care costs; AUTOMATION; VIRAL antibodies; CARRIER state (Communicable diseases)
- Publication
Viral Hepatitis Journal / Viral Hepatit Dergisi, 2015, Vol 21, Issue 3, p76
- ISSN
1307-9441
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.4274/vhd.29591