TY - JOUR T1 - Improving serum calcium test ordering according to a decision algorithm JF - Journal of Clinical Pathology JO - J Clin Pathol SP - 232 LP - 236 DO - 10.1136/jclinpath-2018-205026 VL - 72 IS - 3 AU - Daniel K Faria AU - Leandro U Taniguchi AU - Luiz A M Fonseca AU - Mario Ferreira-Junior AU - Francisco J B Aguiar AU - Arnaldo Lichtenstein AU - Nairo M Sumita AU - Alberto J S Duarte AU - Maria M Sales Y1 - 2019/03/01 UR - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/72/3/232.abstract N2 - Aim To detect differences in the pattern of serum calcium tests ordering before and after the implementation of a decision algorithm.Methods We studied patients admitted to an internal medicine ward of a university hospital on April 2013 and April 2016. Patients were classified as critical or non-critical on the day when each test was performed. Adequacy of ordering was defined according to adherence to a decision algorithm implemented in 2014.Results Total and ionised calcium tests per patient-day of hospitalisation significantly decreased after the algorithm implementation; and duplication of tests (total and ionised calcium measured in the same blood sample) was reduced by 49%. Overall adequacy of ionised calcium determinations increased by 23% (P=0.0001) due to the increase in the adequacy of ionised calcium ordering in non-critical conditions.Conclusions A decision algorithm can be a useful educational tool to improve adequacy of the process of ordering serum calcium tests. ER -