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Original Article
Online Published: 01 Dec 2025
 


Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia

Asmaa M. Alrefaie, Nawaf S. Alhazmi, Nawwaf S. Alghamdi, Mohammed E. Ahmed, Abdullah S. Melebari, Hatim I. Aljohani, Mahdi H. Alamri, Ashraf H. Sarhan, Areej S. Alowfi, Aisha K. Algethami.


Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to assess the frequency of unjustified reordering of laboratory tests (thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and vitamin D (VIT D) and its associated consequences, along with providing beneficial methods to overcome this concern.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 804 patient records from the primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in the Western region from October 2020 to October 2021. A stratified sampling technique was used, and patient records were divided into 3 groups based on 3 tests (TSH, HbA1c, and VIT D). Groups 1 (TSH) and 2 (HbA1c) included males from the age of ≥ 18 years and females from the age of ≥ 50 years. Group 3 (VIT D) included patients aged≥ 18 years for both genders.
Results: The statistical analysis showed that the overall unjustification of the three tests of both genders accounted for 42.5%, with the HbA1c test being the most unjustified reordered test (53.35%). Among each gender, males showed that the HbA1c test was the highest (51.74%), whereas the TSH test was the highest (57.89%) in females. There was a significant association between the TSH test and gender, with a p-value <0.05. However, HbA1c and VIT D tests had no significant association.
Conclusion: This statistically significant study data showed that multiple tests were over-utilized inconveniently; thus, to make sure that the test reorder was justified, physicians should revise the specifications of each patient and the guidelines of the underlying disease.

Key words: Frequency, unjustified, reordering, laboratory tests, Saudi Arabia.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Alrefaie AM, Alhazmi NS, Alghamdi NS, Ahmed ME, Melebari AS, Aljohani HI, Alamri MH, Sarhan AH, Alowfi AS, Algethami AK. Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. 2025; 9(11): 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702

Web Style

Alrefaie AM, Alhazmi NS, Alghamdi NS, Ahmed ME, Melebari AS, Aljohani HI, Alamri MH, Sarhan AH, Alowfi AS, Algethami AK. Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=275161 [Access: June 22, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alrefaie AM, Alhazmi NS, Alghamdi NS, Ahmed ME, Melebari AS, Aljohani HI, Alamri MH, Sarhan AH, Alowfi AS, Algethami AK. Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. 2025; 9(11): 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alrefaie AM, Alhazmi NS, Alghamdi NS, Ahmed ME, Melebari AS, Aljohani HI, Alamri MH, Sarhan AH, Alowfi AS, Algethami AK. Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. IJMDC. (2025), [cited June 22, 2026]; 9(11): 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702


Harvard Style

Alrefaie, A. M., Alhazmi, . N. S., Alghamdi, . N. S., Ahmed, . M. E., Melebari, . A. S., Aljohani, . H. I., Alamri, . M. H., Sarhan, . A. H., Alowfi, . A. S. & Algethami, . A. K. (2025) Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. IJMDC, 9 (11), 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702


Turabian Style

Alrefaie, Asmaa M., Nawaf S. Alhazmi, Nawwaf S. Alghamdi, Mohammed E. Ahmed, Abdullah S. Melebari, Hatim I. Aljohani, Mahdi H. Alamri, Ashraf H. Sarhan, Areej S. Alowfi, and Aisha K. Algethami. 2025. Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 9 (11), 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702


Chicago Style

Alrefaie, Asmaa M., Nawaf S. Alhazmi, Nawwaf S. Alghamdi, Mohammed E. Ahmed, Abdullah S. Melebari, Hatim I. Aljohani, Mahdi H. Alamri, Ashraf H. Sarhan, Areej S. Alowfi, and Aisha K. Algethami. "Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 9 (2025), 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Alrefaie, Asmaa M., Nawaf S. Alhazmi, Nawwaf S. Alghamdi, Mohammed E. Ahmed, Abdullah S. Melebari, Hatim I. Aljohani, Mahdi H. Alamri, Ashraf H. Sarhan, Areej S. Alowfi, and Aisha K. Algethami. "Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 9.11 (2025), 2628-2634. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alrefaie, A. M., Alhazmi, . N. S., Alghamdi, . N. S., Ahmed, . M. E., Melebari, . A. S., Aljohani, . H. I., Alamri, . M. H., Sarhan, . A. H., Alowfi, . A. S. & Algethami, . A. K. (2025) Frequency of unjustified laboratory test reordering in primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Western Region, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 9 (11), 2628-2634. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1754247702




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