Laboratory Test Ordering: A Syndrome Affecting Clinicians

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Abstract
To the Editor.— All the reasons stated by Dr Lundberg inThe Journal(1983;249:639) as to why physicians order laboratory tests can be easily rectified if the laboratory physician will take the responsibility and initiative to monitor and recommend the use of appropriate laboratory tests. The complete blood cell count is a classic example of a test in which the laboratory physician, by adopting a policy based on local and national experience, can provide an appropriate answer for the clinician without repetitious displays of raw laboratory data that tend to confuse rather than solve clinical problems. The implementation of a laboratory test policy is not to prevent use by edict but to educate and use by example. It requires laboratory physicians to have an informed and professionally useful relationship with their clinical colleagues. Such a relationship emphasizes the need to follow up abnormal results with appropriate alacrity, thus ensuring that

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