Frequency and costs of low-value preoperative tests for patients undergoing low-risk procedures in the veterans health administration.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clinical practice guidelines discourage routine preoperative screening tests for patients undergoing low-risk procedures. This study sought to determine the frequency and costs of potentially low-value preoperative screening tests in Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients undergoing low-risk procedures.

Methods

Using the VA Corporate Data Warehouse, we identified Operative Stress Score class 1 procedures ("very minor") performed without general anesthesia in VA during fiscal year 2019 and calculated the overall national and facility-level rates and costs of nine common tests received in the 30 preoperative days. Patient factors associated with receiving at least one screening test, and the number of tests received, were examined.

Results

Eighty-six th

SUBMITTER: Harris AHS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9469517 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature