SECTION V: EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TEST ORDERING PROCESS

The effectiveness of a pathology laboratory service refers to the quality of the service provided to clinicians, hospitals and, ultimately, to patients.^{20 31} Whilst the effectiveness of the pathology service is affected by the complex array of systems and processes within the service, it is also influenced by external factors often outside the control of the pathology service. For example, how information, such as orders, is communicated between the computer system in the ward and the computer system in the pathology service; and what clinical contextual information is provided to assist the pathology service in processing the test order and providing an appropriate interpretation. The effectiveness of the pathology service also depends on what they are required to do, such as the volume of tests being ordered; the types of tests being ordered and whether they are suitable for the patient condition,³² whether repeat tests are ordered at appropriate times, whether they can inform diagnosis and treatment; and the proper utilisation of add-on testing, which can have a disproportionate effect on pathology service workload.^33-35 New ICT systems have the potential to provide decision support to assist clinicians in making appropriate decisions and thereby improve the effectiveness of patient care.^{36 37} One example of this is the ability of the EMR to alert the ordering clinician to a duplicate order (see Appendix V).