The clinical laboratory and the laboratory services which are provided have a major
effect on the clinical decisions that physicians, nurses and various other healthcare
providers make with patient care. These decisions effect disease prevention, diagnosis,
treatment and the management of disease. A surprising number which contrasts the
importance that laboratory services provides is the cost which laboratory testing
accounts for when looking at healthcare spending. The latest healthcare statistics
show that laboratory services accounts for only 2.3 % of US healthcare
expenditures and only 2% of Medicare spending.
The Importance of Laboratory Services
Clinical laboratory testing provides objective data about the health
of a patient which enables healthcare providers to screen for risk factors, perform
early diagnosis, evaluate the severity of many disease states and recovery statistics,
the monitoring of treatment and the total evaluation of these outcomes.
Patient safety is another area which laboratory services provide
a critical part of the overall healthcare process. An example of this is the ability
to monitor optimum drug levels in vivo for patients on drug therapies. Personalized
prescribing of medications can also be achieved through laboratory testing.
Another example is how laboratories screen blood supplies for pathogens in donated
blood. This safety mechanism is extremely important for surgery and disease states
that require blood transfusions.
Evidence based medicine is the foundation which laboratory services
provide to healthcare. This evidence based ideology is being incorporated into standard
operating procedures throughout healthcare which assists providers and patients
with making decisions about individual’s health care in specific circumstances.
A greater attention is being given to evidence based medicine by doctors and payers
which is paving a new path to improved care giving practices.
Statistical Facts
Revenue for Laboratory services for 2007 were projected at about
$52 billion
66% of all laboratory tests were attributed to clinical Pathology at a cost of $32
billion.
Anatomic pathology and cytology cost $11 billion which made up 23% of laboratory
spending.
Molecular and specialized testing cost $4 billion which made up 8% of laboratory
service spending.
Drugs of abuse laboratory testing cost 1.5 billion in revenue which
made up 3 % of laboratory spending.