First Advisor

Amador, Tristen

College

Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions

Degree Name

MS Health Services Administration

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Number of Pages

pages

Abstract

An assessment of the feasibility was conducted for developing, and implementing a new service that would accept non-patient specimens for testing in a community hospital laboratory. The service would improve the delivery of healthcare services for patient, physician, and community through the recommendations. Costs persistently rise and shortages amongst physicians and other patient care personnel are climbing. Supporting our community and system physicians by offering high quality laboratory testing in a timely manner with consultative services offered by pathology reinforces a community hospital’s commitment to improving the physician experience. Diagnostic laboratory testing is a critical piece in treating patients, and the option to send specimen testing to the hospital laboratory has been a requested service from physicians whose offices are located in close proximity. Studying the feasibility of adding an additional service line for specimen only outreach testing including an electronic order entry option, overcoming the managed care contract barrier and staffing considerations would be beneficial to patients, caregivers and the community hospital. The potential exists to reduce costs, improve quality and strengthen physician engagement by implementing one of the recommendations. Providing quality laboratory results to the clinics within the system and community physicians surrounding is an opportunity for clinical laboratories to positively impact the utilization management of diagnostic testing in collaboration with managed care organizations to deliver healthcare more efficiently. Recommendations for the community hospital include offering the service to system owned physician clinics with the phased implementation of the electronic medical record. To service non-system owned clinics near the facility web based software is an alternative.

Date of Award

Winter 2010

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

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