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John R. Stephens, MD
John R. Stephens, MD

John R. Stephens, MD, professor of medicine and pediatrics, in the division of hospital medicine, published “Outcomes Associated With High-Versus Low-Frequency Laboratory Testing Among Hospitalized Children” in Hospital Pediatrics.

Previous pediatric studies have revealed substantial variation in laboratory testing for specific conditions, but clinical outcomes associated with high- versus low-frequency testing have remained unclear. The study hypothesized that hospitals with high- versus low-testing frequency would have worse clinical outcomes. Designed as a multicenter study of children hospitalized for common low-acuity conditions, laboratory testing frequency varied widely across hospitals, without substantial differences in outcomes. The results suggest opportunities to reduce laboratory overuse across conditions and children’s hospitals.

Learn more about the study here.