Your laboratory or medical organization may have already identified two or three projects that a UM team could tackle (these projects are often the initial impetus for creating an UM team in the first place). Given the different perspectives of all those in the group, it won't take long to create a list of improvement ideas. You can then sort through the ideas and identify which ones are most apt to:
- Increase the quality of care
- Decrease errors
- Save costs
- Save time
- Be accomplished (don't take on more than your group can achieve)
- Reduce unnecessary patient workups or procedures
- Reduce complexity (increase efficiencies and workflows)
In this course, we will describe several areas that a UM team can address. The specific topics will have obvious significance to the laboratory professional. As each of the topics is presented, think about the changing landscape of medicine and laboratory testing. Consider factors such as direct-to-consumer marketing of tests, increased patient awareness of tests, and the rapid increase in the number of laboratory tests (genetic tests in particular) that are available.
Some Typical UM Issues:- Review the volume of outside (referred) laboratory testing
- Remove obsolete tests or tests of limited value
- Look at 'over-bundled' test panels
- Define stat testing
- Investigate the frequency of repeat testing (inpatient and outpatient)
- Add tools to the electronic medical record (EMR) to guide test selection
- Develop clinician report cards
- Establish guidelines around genetic testing
