Active intervention in hospital test request panels pays.

Background: Ordering laboratory tests by means of test panels is a convenient way of requesting tests, preventing necessary tests from being forgotten. However, it also leads to redundant test ordering, as not all tests in a given panel are required for each patient. As test panels proposed by doctors may contain redundant, overlapping or infrequently used tests, the active involvement of knowledgeable laboratory staff in the organisation of test panels is advisable to promote efficient test use.