ArticleCureus2026
Impact of an Educational Intervention on Adherence to Minimum Laboratory Re-testing Intervals (MRTI) Among Internal Medicine Residents.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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3 authors.
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Abstract
Background Overuse of repeat laboratory testing contributes to increased healthcare costs and patient burden, particularly in teaching hospitals where test ordering is often trainee-driven. Minimum re-testing intervals (MRTI) have been proposed as a strategy to reduce unnecessary investigations, but adherence remains suboptimal. Methods We conducted a quasi-experimental before-and-after study in the Department of Medicine of a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India. A structured educational intervention incorporating MRTI guidance was delivered to internal medicine residents. Medical records of hospitalised patients with a stay of more than or equal to five days were reviewed during pre-intervention (November 2025) and post-intervention (January 2026) periods. The primary outcome was adherence to MRTI recommendations. Comparisons were made using the chi-square test, with results reported as absolute differences with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results A total of 863 and 824 laboratory tests were analysed in the pre- and post-intervention phases, respectively. Overall adherence to MRTI improved from 58.9% to 65.9%, corresponding to an absolute increase of 7.0% (95% CI: 2.4% to 11.6%; χ² = 8.68, p = 0.003). Improvements were observed across most test categories, with the largest increase seen in complete blood count (CBC) testing (+28.3%). Significant gains were also noted for renal function tests, electrolytes, and calcium-magnesium panels. In contrast, liver function tests showed no statistically significant improvement. Total testing volume decreased modestly without a reduction in testing intensity per patient. Conclusions A brief, structured educational intervention significantly improved adherence to recommended laboratory re-testing intervals, particularly for frequently ordered investigations. These findings support the role of targeted educational strategies as a pragmatic and scalable approach to improving laboratory stewardship in resource-constrained teaching hospitals, although test-specific and system-level interventions may be required for sustained impact.
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