RT Journal
A1 Stuebing E
T1 MAgnetic resonance imaging monsters and surgical vampires—reply
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 2011
FD November 1
VO 146
IS 11
SP 1333
OP 1334
DO 10.1001/archsurg.2011.285
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.2011.285
AB 
Both of these types of services, phlebotomy and imaging, have a tendency to be overused. It is where these services have become a daily routine that I believe the greatest impact can be made in reducing their use. We showed a 27% decrease in the use of daily blood tests in our study1 at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Similar studies2- 3 have been done with imaging services. Dr Krinsley from Colombia University in New York showed a 22.5% decrease in the use of daily chest radiographs in an intensive care unit by requiring house staff to fill out a form stating the reasons the film was needed, saving their hospital $109 968 over 18 months.2 Perhaps making physicians aware of the cost of routine radiography (such as portable chest radiographs that reportedly cost, on average, $200 to 400 each2- 3) would also lead to more judicious ordering patterns.