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OBJECTIVE: The objetive was to evaluate the utility of inpatient and emergency department (ED) fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and its association with downstream healthcare utilization and costs. METHODS: < 0. 05. RESULTS: = 0. 45). Mean cost per positive FOBT patient was 1185 versus 497 for negative FOBT. CONCLUSIONS: FOBT use in the inpatient and ED settings has limited diagnostic yield for CRC or evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding and is associated with significantly higher downstream healthcare utilization and cost. Institutional guidelines and decision support tools are needed to curtail inappropriate FOBT use and promote evidence-based care.
Pearce et al. (Mon,) studied this question.