Effectiveness of an outpatient urine screening program.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a routine outpatient urinalysis screening program on a sample population of 2600 patients. The 189 abnormal urine results found in 182 patients were followed up by study of any new clinical and laboratory investigations or therapeutic modifications initiated on the basis of any abnormal test result. The urinalysis screening program appeared to have significant bearing on diagnosis or treatment in only 13 patients. Abnormalities found in 150 of the 182 patients were either not noted or no further positive action was taken. Thus we concluded that under the conditions of this study the urine screening program added to hospital costs without significant benefit to the patient.