A Summary Of Key Findings

1
The American Clinical Laboratory Association
A Summary Of Key Findings From A National Survey
Of Voters.
Bill McInturff
Alex Bellone
Partner
Vice President
07160
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Methodology
On behalf of the American Clinical Laboratory
Association (ACLA), Public Opinion Strategies
conducted a national survey of 800 registered
voters. This survey was conducted March 25-27,
2007, and has a margin of error of 3.5.
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Experience With Clinical Laboratories
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Almost seven in ten voters report having a
laboratory test conducted in the past year.
Needed A Laboratory Test In Last Twelve Months
Among those who needed a laboratory test

Doctors Office 37 Hospital 28 Independent
Lab 22
And, in the PAST TWELVE MONTHS, have you needed
to get a laboratory test? And did you go to get
this test at a hospital, at your doctors office
or at an independent laboratory?
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Among the 69 of voters who had a lab test done
in the past year, a majority report having a
positive experience with clinical laboratories.
Experience with Clinical Laboratories Among
Voters Who Needed A Laboratory Test In Last
Twelve Months
48 62 49 45
And, thinking about your own personal experience
with clinical laboratories, would you say it has
been mostly positive, mostly neutral or mostly
negative or would you say you have not had much
experience with clinical laboratories one way or
the other?
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Older voters are more likely to report having a
lab test done in the last year than their younger
counterparts.
Needed A Laboratory Test In Last Twelve Months By
Age
-18 22 34 58 62
And, in the PAST TWELVE MONTHS, have you needed
to get a laboratory test? And did you go to get
this test at a hospital, at your doctors office
or at an independent laboratory?
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Women and voters with higher levels of education
are also more likely to report having a lab test
done in the last year.
Needed A Laboratory Test In Last Twelve Months By
Gender and Education
28 46 28 35 39 56
And, in the PAST TWELVE MONTHS, have you needed
to get a laboratory test? And did you go to get
this test at a hospital, at your doctors office
or at an independent laboratory?
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Opinions Of Clinical Laboratories
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Voters need some context to offer their opinion
on clinical laboratories.
We divided the 800 registered voters into two
groups One half of respondents were provided
the following neutral description and asked to
give their opinion of clinical laboratories Thin
king about a specific area of health care that
is, clinical laboratories where tests are done
on blood, urine and other biological specimens in
order to get information about the health of a
patient. The other half of respondents were
asked their opinion of clinical laboratories
without being given any kind of context or
description.
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Providing information clearly gives respondents a
better understanding of clinical laboratories.
Importantly, there are virtually no unfavorable
feelings about clinical labs whether
respondents were given information or not.
Image Of Clinical Laboratories
With Description Without Description
Total Heard of 83
Total Heard of 62
Please tell me, is your opinion of clinical
laboratories very favorable, mostly favorable,
half-and-half, mostly unfavorable, or very
unfavorable? If you are unfamiliar with clinical
laboratories just tell me and well move on.
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We asked the group of voters who gave their
opinion of clinical laboratories without hearing
the description to tell us in their own words

• If a friend or neighbor asked you to explain what
  clinical laboratories are, what might you tell
  them?
• The majority of respondents say clinical
  laboratories are where diagnostic tests are done
  on blood, urine and other specimens.
• Other respondents say it is more of a research
  lab where scientists study and test diseases, new
  medicines, and possible cures.
• Some of these respondents also included
  psychological research in their explanation of
  clinical laboratories.

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Overall Perceptions Of Clinical Laboratories
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Voters were read two statements and asked, on
balance, whether the impact of lab tests in the
health care system is best described as Saving
money because they help detect and diagnose
diseases early so patients can be treated before
their condition gets worse and requires more
significant and costly treatment. ...or... Costing
money because physicians often order too many
unnecessary tests and hospitals can duplicate
tests already ordered by a physician or clinic.
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More than two-thirds of voters believe that
overall, lab tests are saving money in the health
care system.
68
Saving Money
20
Costing Money
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Messaging About Clinical Laboratories
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Voters were asked to rate a series of statements
describing the purpose and potential of lab
tests. Please rate each statement using a one to
one hundred scale, where one means it makes you
have a cold/very unfavorable feeling towards
clinical laboratories and one hundred means it
makes you have a warm/very favorable feeling
towards clinical laboratories, and fifty is
neutral. Of course, you can choose any number
between one and one hundred depending on how you
feel. A total of five messages were tested.
However, voters were divided into two groups
again so each individual respondent only heard
three messages.
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The most compelling message focuses on the
concept of early detection...diagnosis...and
treatment, and provides an example of how
specific diseases are avoided through use of lab
tests.
Early detection of disease and accurate diagnosis
through lab tests can often stop a medical
problem before it gets worse and requires
hospitalization. Early detection and treatment
of chronic kidney disease can prevent or delay
kidney failure or other conditions, such as heart
attack or stroke.
100
38
80-100
71
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Communicating cost savings to the health care
system as well as how lab tests help patients
scores highly among voters.
Lab tests often result in significant
improvements in efficiency and cost savings.
Broader use of lab testing to help manage blood
glucose levels for diabetic patients could save
over five hundred million dollars annually in
our healthcare system. While early detection of
high cholesterol through lab tests, may mean a
patient can avoid a costly and serious heart
bypass surgery and instead be treated by
medication.
100
30
80-100
62
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Precision and peace of mind is also very
important to voters.
Lab tests provide precision and peace of mind for
physicians and patients. Lab tests influence
about sixty-five percent of the treatment
decisions that physicians make allowing them
to make accurate diagnoses and recommend
treatments that reduce overall health costs,
improve the quality of life for patients and in
some cases, ultimately save lives.
100
29
80-100
62
20
Talking about the future potential of lab tests
scores slightly lower than the other statements,
but is still a strong message.
100
New types of molecular and genetic lab tests can
provide more detailed information than ever about
patients, allowing physicians to more accurately
identify and diagnose if a patient is prone to a
disease or illness. This means prevention or
treatment can begin sooner and be specifically
targeted for that individual patients needs.
29
80-100
59
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After hearing the messages about lab tests,
respondents were asked to re-rate their opinion
of clinical laboratories. Now, more than
three-quarters of voters have a favorable opinion.
Final Image Of
Clinical Laboratories
Initial Image Of Clinical Laboratories
Without Description
With Description
Post Messaging
Now, having heard some more information, please
tell me, is your opinion of clinical laboratories
very favorable, mostly favorable, half-and-half,
mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable?
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Summary Observations
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• Voters need some context for clinical
  laboratories without some information, it is
  not obvious to all respondents exactly what a
  clinical laboratory is or what it does.
• Once provided this information, a majority of
  voters have a favorable opinion of clinical
  laboratories.

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• Almost seven-in-ten voters report having a lab
  test done in the last year and a majority of
  these respondents say they had a positive
  experience.
• It is clear in the mind of voters that laboratory
  tests provide cost savings in the health care
  system.

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Alex Bellone
Bill McInturff
Vice President
Partner
alex_at_pos.org
bill_at_pos.org
Turning Questions Into Answers.
214 North Fayette Street Alexandria, VA
22314 [phone] www.pos.org