61 Identifying Opportunities to Reduce Cost and Improve Patient Care in the Routine Processing of Urine Samples. (11th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Razzano, Dana; Adem, Patricia
• Is Part Of: American journal of clinical pathology. Volume 149(2018)Supplement 1
• Page Start: S26
• Page End: S27
• Publication Date: 2018-01-11
• Subjects: Diagnosis, Laboratory -- Periodicals; Pathology -- Periodicals; 616.07
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/aqx116.060
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-9173

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: There is a strong incentive to reduce the costs associated with processing urine specimens, since tests involving urine specimens are often the most frequently ordered culture studies. Multiple analyses have demonstrated that approximately two-thirds of urine specimens sent to culture yield a negative result. Methods: Using the laboratory records of urinalysis and urine culture results for one week (October 20–27, 2016), data were collected on the number of urinalysis and cultures ordered in total and the results of each test for 45 patients. A total of 345 urine cultures and 859 urinalysis tests were ordered in that time. Fifty urine cultures and those patients' corresponding urinalysis were also analyzed. Conclusion and Results: Of the 50 cultures performed, five were repeat urine cultures, making it a total of 45 patients included in the analyses. Of these, 64 urinalyses were performed. Urinalysis and urine culture were concurrently ordered tests in 40/45 patients (88%). It was found that 11 of 50 cultures resulted in a positive result (22%), making the majority of cultures negative (78%). Due to the high negative result of culture, and the immense cost to the laboratory to process these specimens, a way to reduce costs and to speed up result turnaround time was identified. One solution for our lab is the use an instrument that is already utilized for urinalysis, the IRIS iQ200, as a urine culture screening method to screen out negative urines unnecessarily sent for culture. This intervention aids clinicians by providing faster presumptive culture results, which can shorten empiric antibiotic treatment time with the added benefit of reducing costs to the laboratory and patients.