Ordering Routine Blood Work
Clinical scenario: A 55-year-old patient arrives for a routine blood pressure check. Their blood pressure is well-controlled, they are feeling well, and have no new symptoms. At the end of the visit, the clinician reflexively orders a complete blood count (CBC) “just in case.”
A few days later, the lab results return, showing a mildly abnormal white blood cell count. It’s likely benign, but the clinician must now follow up. A phone call is scheduled. The patient has questions and concerns. The clinician reassures them, and orders repeat tests “to be safe.” This may lead to a specialist referral or more unnecessary lab tests, pulling in more time and resources—not because the patient was unwell, but because of an initial test that lacked a clear medical indication.
While seemingly brief as isolated events, these unnecessary steps accumulate over time. On average, avoiding routine CBCs in patients without clear clinical indications could save 1.5 hours per month per clinician. This translates to 2 days per year, or 8 weeks over a 25-year career. In a clinic of 10 clinicians, this could free up 20 days per year—time that could be reallocated to high-value care and patient needs that truly warrant clinical attention.