The High Cost of Routine Blood Tests After Surgery

What is it about?

This study examines the utility of Full Blood Examinations (FBE) following surgery and proposes a cost-effective alternative, Haemoglobin Examinations (HE). It found that FBE results are often abnormal but not acted upon, and that HE is a reliable and cost-effective alternative for testing Hemoglobin levels. The study highlights the need for a more rational approach to the use of FBEs in the immediate postoperative period, as the majority of patients who underwent a Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP) received FBE within the first 24 h postoperatively, with most exhibiting abnormal results that were not acted upon.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This research is important because it highlights the limited utility of Full Blood Examinations (FBEs) in the acute phase post-surgery and the potential cost savings that can be achieved by using Hemoglobin Examinations (HEs) instead. The study found that over half of patients who underwent robotic-assisted pelvic surgery received FBE within the first 24 hours postoperatively, with the majority of them exhibiting abnormal results that were not acted upon. The study also found that the utility of cell markers observed in FBE is predominantly subjective, but consensus exists regarding the importance of evaluating hemoglobin levels postoperatively. Key Takeaways: 1. The routine ordering of FBEs postoperatively incurs significant costs and their utility in the postoperative setting for assessing infection is limited. 2. Hemoglobin examinations (HEs) offer a reliable and cost-effective alternative for testing hemoglobin levels in the postoperative period. 3. Adopting HEs in place of FBEs could result in significant cost savings for the healthcare system.