OBJECTIVE: To determine whether gender is associated with the use of a
ncillary services in hospitalized patients. DESIGN:A retrospective stu
dy of laboratory and radiology tests ordered for medical and surgical
inpatients oven. 16-month and 20-month periods, respectively. Obstetri
c patients were excluded. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Number of cli
nical laboratory and radiology tests per admission, their associated c
harges, and total charges per admission were measured. In crude analys
es, women had 16.5% fewer clinical laboratory tests (p < .0001) with 1
8.8% lower associated charges (p < .0001) and 24.4% fewer radiology te
sts (p < .0001) with 15.6% lower associated charges (p <.0001) than me
n. Total changes for the admission were lower for women in both the cl
inical laboratory study period ($16,178 vs $18,912, p < .0001) and the
radiology study period ($14,621 vs $18,182, p < .0001). When adjusted
for age, race, insurance status, service, diagnosis-related-group wei
ght, and length of stay, these differences were smaller but persisted:
women had 3.7% fewer laboratory tests performed (p < .001) with 4.8%
lower associated charges (p < .001). In similarly adjusted analyses fo
r radiology studies. women received 10,4% fewer radiology examinations
(p < .001), with 4.1% lower associated charges (p < .01). There were
no significant differences in the adjusted total charges in the labora
tory group ($17,450 vs $17,655, p = .20) and only a marginally signifi
cant difference in the radiology group ($16,278 vs $16,498, p = .05).
When we compared ancillary utilization within the five largest diagnos
is-related, groups, these differences persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Men rece
ive more ancillary services than women, even after adjusting far poten
tial confounders.