Overutilization in laboratory medicine: tackling the problem with quality improvement science.

Overutilization of tests and treatments is a widespread problem in contemporary heath care, and laboratory medicine is no exception. It is estimated that 10-70% of laboratory tests may be unnecessary, with estimates in the literature varying depending on the situation and the laboratory test. Inappropriate use of laboratory tests can lead to further unnecessary testing, adverse events, inaccurate diagnoses, and inappropriate treatments.

Reducing free thyroid hormone testing through multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles.

Objectives: Free thyroid hormones (fT4 and fT3) are one of the most commonly ordered laboratory tests and often ordered when not clinically meaningful. Based on this, many studies have sought to identify strategies to reduce inappropriate fT4 and fT3 testing. The goal of the current study was to implement a quality improvement (QI) framework to identify an optimal approach to reducing inappropriate free thyroid hormone testing through multiple change ideas and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles.

Determining Root Causes and Designing Change Ideas in a Quality Improvement Project.

In this second article of our diabetes quality improvement primer series, readers will become familiar with various diagnostic tools used to understand the root causes of a quality problem. We discuss change concepts, and specific change ideas are developed to match the root causes. We review the application of a plan-do-study-act cycle from the Model for Improvement quality improvement framework to test 1 change idea and measure for the intended improvements.

Beginning a Diabetes Quality Improvement Project.

There is a large evidence-to-clinical practice gap in diabetes care. Application of quality improvement (QI) strategies can be used to improve gaps in care delivery. In this first of 3 articles in the diabetes QI primer series, we introduce the steps required to plan a QI project by using a case example for improving foot screening of people with diabetes.

Implementing Change Ideas, Interpreting Data and Sustaining Change in a Quality Improvement Project.

This article is the third and final installment in our diabetes quality improvement primer series. It summarizes how to interpret real-time data with run charts and highlights 4 key rules that can be applied to understand whether improvement is statistically significant. We also review the importance of outlining a family of measures, including outcome, process and balancing measures.

Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes Screening in Adults: A Gap Analysis and Evaluation of Accuracy of Glycated Hemoglobin Levels.

Objectives: We sought to identify the gap in cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) screening by means of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in our tertiary care clinic. Our second aim was to identify the glycated hemoglobin level (A1C) threshold that optimizes sensitivity and specificity for predicting CFRD and impaired glucose tolerance.

Methods: This retrospective study used data housed in the Toronto cystic fibrosis (CF) database.

Promoting resource stewardship: Reducing inappropriate free thyroid hormone testing.

Rationale: Free thyroxine (fT4) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) tests are often ordered when not clinically warranted. Preventing laboratory overuse by reducing inappropriate fT4 and fT3 testing is one strategy to promote resource stewardship.

Objectives: (1) To characterize the frequency of inappropriate fT4 and fT3 testing and (2) to implement a quality improvement strategy aimed at reducing the number of these tests performed.

Incentivizing health care behaviors in emerging adults: a systematic review.

Purpose: For emerging adults with chronic medical diseases, the transition from pediatric to adult health care is often a time of great upheaval, commonly associated with unhealthy self-management choices, loss to follow-up, and adverse outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to examine the use of incentive strategies to promote positive health-related behaviors in young adults with chronic medical diseases.

Methods: The Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and Cochrane databases were searched through June 2014.