Decrease in Preoperative Testing Rates for Low-Risk Patients Post Guideline Implementation

After the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommended against routine preoperative laboratory testing for low-risk patients, there was a significant decrease in testing rates. In low-risk patients, the percentage of those receiving tests dropped by 6.9% post-guidelines implementation, while higher-risk patients saw only a 1.1% reduction. Lack of testing in low-risk patients did not result in worse outcomes, suggesting the need for continued efforts towards deimplementation of unnecessary tests.