Med-O-Meter

6

MedHead Message:

If you are undergoing a low risk surgery and are healthy, there is typically no reason to check pre-operative lab tests like a blood count, INR, electrolytes, and urine. The costs of all these tests add up rapidly over time. A lot of surgeons ask me to check these levels before surgery to be included in a “pre-op clearance” without even thinking about it. Trust me, these things add up! And they are not necessary. If you have pre-existing diabetes, heart disease, or other metabolic disease, or are having major surgery which may include the loss of a lot of blood, bypass the screening lab tests.

References:

https://www.wacommunitycheckup.org/media/47156/2018-first-do-no-harm.pdf