Using Labs Wisely
Welcome to the national consortium that’s changing the lab utilization landscape in Canada.
This portal is intended for participating hospitals to learn about program updates, useful resources, and ways to interact with others in the Using Labs Wisely program.
Key Dates and Timing:
2025:
- Tuesday, January 14, 2025 02:00 PM EST
- Tuesday, March 25, 2025 02:00 PM EST
- PROGRESS PRESENTATIONS: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 02:00 PM EST
- Tuesday, June 24, 2025 02:00 PM EST
- Tuesday, September 16, 2025 2:00 PM EST
- PROGRESS PRESENTATIONS: Wednesday, November 12, 2:00 PM EST
Participating hospitals should have the following documents completed throughout the program:
- FOR SIGNATURE: Using Labs Wisely-Terms of Participation
- FOR PRESENTATIONS- One Year Progress Template (OPTIONAL)
- FOR SUBMISSION: Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) Template
- FOR SUBMISSION: Data Submission Instructions and Data Dictionary
- Data Dictionary FRENCH
Deliverable Reminders
Next data submission is due May 31, 2025. Please refer to the new data submission templates and data dictionary under “Deliverables” on the portal. Please reach out to Gillian or GEMINI for any data specific questions (gemini.cwc@unityhealth.to)
Check out relevant tools and resources that can support your quality improvement efforts in the Using Labs Wisely program:
Expert Guidance Aims to Improve Appropriate Use of Lab Testing in Canada
New guidance from an expert panel offers recommendations on minimum retesting intervals for five lab tests commonly repeated in laboratories across the country.
Pause the Draws
A toolkit on reducing repetitive, “routine” blood tests in hospitals.
Understand the Gland
A toolkit for appropriate ordering practices of free thyroid hormone testing.
Low-Value Lab Tests
A tool focused on appropriate use of specific laboratory tests and evidence-based interventions that have reduced unnecessary use of the test or practice.
Lab Recommendations
A collection of Choosing Wisely Canada recommendations related to lab utilization.
CADTH Cost Calculator
Provides insights on potential resource savings associated with the reduction of five low-value laboratory tests.
Members Database
A list of Using Labs Wisely participating members.
Shared ULW Site Resources
Shared ULW Site Resources
Check out the recordings below featuring past Using Labs Wisely collaborative sessions.
Using Labs Wisely: January 14, 2025 |
Using Labs Wisely: March 2025 |
One-Year Updates: November 2024
Group 1:
- LACGH: Urea
- Brant Community Hospital: Urea/CR
- Mackenzie Health: Urea/Cr and AST/ALT
- Island Health: Lab stewardship and planetary health
Group 2:
- Sault Area Hospital: PT/PTT/INR
- Sinai Health: AST, Urea, amylase
- Hospital for Sick Children: AST/ALT
- Michael Garron Hospital: AST/ALT and other order set interventions
- Windsor Regional Hospital: Urine cultures and antimicrobial stewardship in labs
Group 3:
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre: Minimum re-testing intervals, TSH, lipid panels, SPEP
- London Health Sciences Centre: Minimum re-testing intervals
- Cambridge Memorial Hospital: Folate
- Vitalité: Liver profile, Electrolyte profile, CRP/ESR
One-Year Updates: October 2023
Group 1:
- IWK Health: Folate testing
- Trillium Health: Osmo and Toxic Alcohol utilization
- Cite de la Sante: Vitamin B12 and FOB testing
- Unity Health: AST utilization reflex approach
Group 2:
- Niagara Health: Serum pregnancy testing
- CHU de Quebec: appropriateness of the submission of surgical specimens to the anatomic pathology lab
- NYGH: Reduction of Urine microscoping testing
Group 3:
- RVH and GBGH: Free T4
- Brant Community Hospital: Urea/Creatinine
- Halton: Vitamin D, ESR, Protein Electrophoresis
Orientation
Orientation for the Using Labs Wisely program.
Lab Target Considerations
A framework for selecting a lab target that your site may want to focus on in the program.
Lab Target Example
An example for a real application to lab target selection.
QI Diagnostics
A review of three common QI tools used to diagnose the problem to target: process mapping, cause-and-effect analysis, and the Pareto diagram.
Stakeholder Engagement
A review of the hierarchy of effectiveness for different types of QI intervention as well as a framework for stakeholder engagement.
Lab Change Ideas
Covering measures and highlights its linkage to lab interventions. It also explores some different types of lab interventions (e.g., education initiatives, ordering initiatives).
Baseline Data
Baseline data on how data can help further inform lab target selection lab change ideas as well as highlights some successful changes implemented and the need for ongoing data to be part of change strategy.
Using Labs Wisely #2
Session from October 17, 2022.
Using Labs Wisely #3
Session from November 14, 2022.
Using Labs Wisely #4
Session from December 12, 2022.
Using Labs Wisely #5
Session from January 16 2023.
Using Labs Wisely #6
Session from February 13 2023.
Using Labs Wisely #7
Session from May 15 2023.
Using Labs Wisely #8
Session from September 11 2023.
Using Labs Wisely #9
Session from December 4 2023.
Using Labs Wisely #10
Session from February 13 2024.
Using Labs Wisely #11
Session from May 7, 2024.
Using Labs Wisely #12
Session from June 18, 2024.
Using Labs Wisely #13
Session from September 24, 2024.
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Using Labs Wisely
A national consortium that’s changing the lab utilization landscape in Canada.