I have been a practicing physician for over a third of a century, and I am more certain now than ever, because of giant advances in medical technology, that real-time diagnostics is essential for optimal medical care. Too much of the establishment's analysis of the cost of medical care is directed toward the incorrectly calculated cost of testing. The cost of medical tests is not solely the laboratory fee. It must include the cost to patient in suffering and worry for delays in diagnosis. It must account for the unnecessary medical tests performed due to delay in diagnosis. It must account for the delayed treatment due to delay in diagnosis. Delayed laboratory results, due to inappropriate off-site testing, when point of care real time diagnostics are available, have significant societal costs as well as significant costs to physicians and HMOs.
Dr. Wardlaw and I wrote an article on this subject that is available upon request.