Inappropriate laboratory test utilization in outpatient tertiary care: Implications for value-based healthcare

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Figure 1
- Annual percentages of inappropriate testing. TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone

Table 1

- Definition of an inappropriate test.

Tests	Inappropriate repetitions	References
TSH	Repeated testing within 8 weeks	AACE hypothyroidism guidelines¹²
Lipid profile	Repeated testing within 3 months	CCS dyslipidemia guidelines¹³
Vitamin B12	Repeated testing within 3 months	Best practice in primary care pathology¹⁴
Vitamin D	Repeated testing within 3 months	Osteoporosis Canada guidelines¹⁵

TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone, AACE: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, CCS: Canadian Cardiovascular Society

Table 2

- Sociodemographic characteristics (N=23,280).

Variables	n (%)	Median number of inappropriate repetition	P-values
Age, mean±SD^*	38.75±20.78	r=0.196	0.001
Gender^*
Female	14,336 (61.6)	2	0.001
Male	8,939 (38.4)	0	0.001
Marital status^*
Single	10,398 (44.7)	2	0.001
Married	12,198 (52.5)	2
Separated	660 (2.8)	1.5
Nationality
Non-Saudi	5,871 (25.2)	1	0.003
Saudi	17,409 (74.8)	2	0.003
Resident of Riyadh
No	1,381 (5.9)	2	0.574
Yes	21,899 (94.1)	1	0.574

Values are presented as numbers and precentages (%).

SD: standard deviation