An evaluation of multiphasic screening on admission to hospital. Precis of a report to the National Health and Medical Research Council.

A controlled study of admission multiphasic screening (AMS) at a large general hospital showed that AMS had no significant effect on a variety of indices of inpatient progress. Owing to a 64% increase in estimated cost of investigations with AMS, the total hospital admission cost was increased by approximately 5%. Under the conditions of this study, AMS added to the cost of hospitalization without associated evidence of benefit to the patient.