AACC Calls for Lab Professionals to Support Value-Based Care

Laboratory professionals have a central role to play in supporting the transition to value-based care, according to a position statement released by the American Academy of Clinical Chemistry on May 30. Clinical laboratorians have expertise that can better inform test utilization and test interpretation, which can benefit the health care system through improved patient outcomes and reduced costs.

Unlike inpatient care, which is reimbursed under a single diagnosis-related group code, outpatient testing is still primarily reimbursed under fee-for-service arrangements. New payment models—including accountable care organizations and bundled care arrangements—still rely on laboratory results, but require greater care coordination and cost control. Since laboratory data informs the majority of clinical decision-making, laboratory professionals can help ensure it is used most efficiently and effectively.

“Laboratory medicine professionals are poised to contribute their expertise to work with clinicians in devising more effective and efficient diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, and should be invited to be part of guideline development panels,” writes the AACC in its position statement.

To enhance test utilization, AACC recommends laboratory professionals assist in expanding clinician education, developing disease-specific test ordering guidelines, and creating computerized clinical decision support interventions that identify tests not suitable for certain conditions being investigated.

To improve test interpretation AACC calls for greater interaction among laboratorians and medical practitioners. AACC suggests laboratory professionals can include interpretative comments to enhance test reports when results cannot be understood by the numeric data alone or when the finding is unique. Additionally, AACC calls for diagnostic management teams that include a clinical laboratory representative to collaboratively interpret the results in conjunction with the clinical symptoms.

The AACC also calls for continued funding of studies at the federal agency level to develop evidence-based testing guidelines, evaluate translational research of the value of new laboratory tests, and assess how wider adoption of collaborative caregiver group models impacts patient outcomes and costs.