Affordable Health Care and the Business of Clinical Microbiology: It's All in the Delivery

In today's health care environment, laboratories are increasingly being asked to justify the acquisition of new technology. Justification is often done through a formal business case analysis. One important component of the business case is being able to show outcomes and impacts on patient care. Patient outcomes are becoming a focus of investigation following implementation of new technology and a key component to building a strong business case for that technology. Given that new technology is often more expensive than an add-on test to traditional work-ups, its true value is not fully appreciated unless it is evaluated over the continuum of care. This article discusses how to prepare a business case for the administration and key strategic considerations to create a value-driven laboratory.