Can Emergency Medicine Residents Predict Cost of Diagnostic Testing?
Diagnostic testing represents a significant portion of healthcare spending, and cost should be considered when ordering such tests. Needless and excessive spending may occur without an appreciation of the impact on the larger healthcare system. Knowledge regarding the cost of diagnostic testing am...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://escholarship.org/uc/item/8wm8d18j |
| Summary: | Diagnostic testing represents a significant portion of healthcare spending, and cost should be
considered when ordering such tests. Needless and excessive spending may occur without an appreciation
of the impact on the larger healthcare system. Knowledge regarding the cost of diagnostic testing among
emergency medicine (EM) residents has not previously been studied.
A survey was administered to 20 EM residents from a single ACGME-accredited three-year EM
residency program, asking for an estimation of patient charges for 20 commonly ordered laboratory tests
and seven radiological exams. We compared responses between residency classes to evaluate whether
there was a difference based on level of training.
The survey completion rate was 100% (20/20 residents). We noted significant discrepancies
between the median resident estimates and actual charge to patient for both laboratory and radiological
exams. Nearly all responses were an underestimate of the actual cost. The group median underestimation
for laboratory testing was $114, for radiographs $57, and for computed tomography exams was $1,058.
There was improvement in accuracy with increasing level of training.
This pilot study demonstrates that EM residents have a poor understanding of the charges
burdening patients and health insurance providers. In order to make balanced decisions with regard to
diagnostic testing, providers must appreciate these factors. Education regarding the cost of providing
emergency care is a potential area for improvement of EM residency curricula, and warrants further attention
and investigation. |
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| ISSN: | 1936-900X 1936-9018 |