2020 Choosing Wisely Champions Recognized for Reducing Unnecessary Testing

Several healthcare leaders have been recognized as ASCP 2020 Choosing WiselyChampions for their commitment to the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely campaign. The Choosing Wisely Champions program, launched by the ABIM Foundation in 2016, was created to recognize clinicians who are leading efforts to reduce overuse and waste in medicine. The program acknowledges the work of those who are dedicated to providing appropriate care and encourages others to follow their lead.

“Identifying Champions and sharing their successes allows all of us to learn from their efforts to improve healthcare delivery,” said Lee H. Hilborne, MD, MPH, DLM(ASCP)^CM, FASCP, chair of the ASCP Effective Test Utilization Steering Committee. The Choosing Wisely Champions were chosen for advancing appropriate test utilization in their health systems and demonstrating leadership of a local Choosing Wisely effort. Below are the honorees and a synopsis of their achievements.

Quest Diagnostics Lab Stewardship Reference Program, Erin P. Monteverdi - Representative

The Quest Lab Stewardship Reference program supports the implementation of Choosing Wisely guidelines in clinical practice settings across the country through the following activities: advancing Choosing Wisely in practices through the program’s support of health systems and hospitals with managing and monitoring any interventions associated with guideline education needs and helps them focus on targeted areas where adherence gaps are identified; helping educate Society members about Choosing Wisely and/or recommendations; conducting measurement recommendation by providing health systems a concrete, near time measurable view into their adherence to codable guidelines; and serving as a spokesperson for the Society or campaign through discussion and participation in best practice groups. Quest Diagnostics continues to share the concept of lab stewardship and works to advance the goals of the right test, for the right patient, at the right time – embodied in the Choosing Wisely guidelines.

Sachin Gupta, PhD, MBA, MT(ASCPi)MB, Lean SSBB, Laboratory Quality and Informatics Lead, BayCare Health System, Clearwater, FL

In his role as laboratory quality and informatics lead at BayCare Health System in Clearwater, Florida, Sachin Gupta, PhD, MBA, MT(ASCPⁱ)MB, Lean SSBB, manages and makes improvements in laboratory processes. In the last five years, he has been involved in more than 20 quality improvement initiatives at BayCare Health System. Dr. Gupta takes a broad view of laboratory data, identifies significant trends and studies health information to effectively improve patient safety and clinical outcomes. His work improves overall patient care and helps to reduce the cost of health care. Dr. Gupta and the quality improvement team at BayCare Health System often utilize Choosing Wiselyrecommendations as part of evidence based best practice guidelines and include those for provider education. Some of the initiatives he has been involved include reducing overutilization of CT chest angiography using a pre‐test probability clinical decision tool and D‐Dimer for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and appropriate use of C. Diff PCR and MRSA PCR tests using evidence‐based guidelines and clinical decision support tools to guide treatment.

Eric A. Gehrie, MD, Medical Director of Blood Bank, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Eric A. Gehrie, MD, is an assistant professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he is also the medical director of the Blood Bank, associate director of the Pathology Residency Program and associate director of the Patient Blood Management Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Gehrie’s work with platelet transfusion demonstrates appropriate use of blood products is essential for maintaining a safe and evidence‐based clinical environment. Despite multitudes of studies comparing liberal versus restrictive red blood cell transfusion strategies, there remains a paucity of data for platelet transfusion requirements, especially in high‐use patient populations like oncology. To examine the daily use and necessity of platelet transfusions in the adult oncology group, Dr. Gehrie has studied the clinical difference and impact between 1-unit platelet transfusions and 2-unit platelet transfusions. His two-year retrospective review demonstrates that the routine use of 2-platelet transfusions per patient provided no added benefit over a single platelet transfusion. His study stands as a singular example of judicious use of a limited biologic product‐platelets. His research recognizes the importance of reducing unnecessary platelet transfusions; patients are exposed to fewer donors, hospital platelet inventories remain intact for critical patients, and the financial budget for the blood bank remains fiscally solvent.

To learn more about ePolicy News and access past newsletters and articles, click here.

Please click here to find the list of ASCP 2020 Choosing Wisely champions and other ASCP Choosing Wisely resources.

For more information regarding ASCP's advocacy initiatives and policy positions, please contact ASCP's Center for Public Policy at (202) 408-1110.  

ASCP ePolicy News is supported by an unrestricted grant from Hologic.