Cost-containment strategies for the diagnostic microbiology laboratory

The goal of any cost-containment program should be to minimize operational expenses without reducing the quality of patient care. At present, microbiology is essentially a manual function; therefore, increases in specimen load and additional work per specimen lead to increased operating costs. Effective strategies are those that improve the efficiency of the laboratory by supplying only relevant information as quickly as possible and limit tests to those that impact directly on patient management. Educational effort to alter the ordering behavior of physicians should be instituted, but regulatory measures must be in place that permit the laboratory director to restrict excessive or inappropriate testing.