Clinical laboratory consultation: appropriateness to laboratory medicine.

New and expensive treatments, introduction of difficult to interpret complex tests, a greater reliance on nurse practitioners as deliverers of primary care and patient initiated testing, all make it likely that in the future greater emphasis will be placed on appropriate use of cost-effective laboratory tests. The most promising solution to inappropriate utilization of laboratory services is a greater reliance on clinical laboratory consultants. At present, many laboratory physicians and scientists cannot compete with specialist physicians in terms of the ability to provide credible helpful advice on test selection and results interpretation. Educational prerequisites to effective consultation are: understanding of disease pathogenesis, knowledge of clinical problem solving and identification with clinical questions. The latter requires clinical experience or intensive training in clinical laboratory consultation. Further barriers to implementation of comprehensive laboratory consultation services include resistance on the part of practicing physicians, health care administrators and insurers. Whether these barriers can be overcome or not, the future will include comprehensive laboratory consultation services conducted through web-based access to advice on test selection and interpretation of results.