Table 2. Challenges Reported by Primary Care Physician Respondents When Ordering Laboratory Diagnostic Tests and Using Test Results
ChallengesRespondents Reporting Factor is Very or Extremely Problematic (%)
Ordering diagnostic tests
    Cost factors
        Patient costs55
        Insurance policies limit testing48
        Insurance policies mandate use of a specific lab40
        Lack of comparative cost information39
    Ordering mechanisms
        Different test names20
        Tests not available except in a panel20
        Different tests in test panels18
Using diagnostic tests
    Receiving results
        Results not received in a timely manner34
        Previous results are not easily available32
        Errors in results are suspected25
        Results are inconsistent with patient's symptoms24
    Report format
        Lab-to-lab variation in normal range22
        Lab-to-lab variation in report formats21
        Lab report format is difficult to understand18
        Not enough information in lab report16