Solution · Cost per test for diagnostic labs

True cost per investigation — patient tests separate from QC overhead

Most labs don't know the true reagent cost of a CBC or Troponin test — because QC runs and calibration events are mixed with patient test consumption. HISx separates them, giving you accurate cost-per-test for pricing decisions and reagent contract negotiations.

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Cost per test — this month (clinical chemistry)
CBC
₹ 18.40
Reagent ₹14.20 · QC ₹2.80 · Cal ₹1.40
Utilisation 94% · 1,240 tests
Troponin I
₹ 142
Reagent ₹118 · QC ₹16 · Cal ₹8
Utilisation 78% · 186 tests
HbA1c
₹ 54.20
Reagent ₹44 · QC ₹7.20 · Cal ₹3
Utilisation 88% · 412 tests
Thyroid Panel
₹ 89.60
Reagent ₹72 · QC ₹12.60 · Cal ₹5
Utilisation 71% · 308 tests
What lab cost tracking solves
Patient vs QC
Separated consumption
Lot-level
NABL audit documentation
Per analyser
Utilisation efficiency
HISx on  ERPNext / Frappe
The problem

Why diagnostic labs don't know their true cost per test

The cost per test figure most lab managers quote is an estimate — because the data needed to calculate it accurately is not captured in most lab management systems.

QC overhead hidden in patient test cost

Without separate QC consumption tracking, QC reagent use is averaged across all test runs — making every patient test appear more expensive than it actually is. A lab running 20% QC overhead looks like it has a 20% higher reagent cost per patient test than a lab that tracks QC separately.

Post-opening expiry not tracked — reagent wasted

A Troponin kit with a 12-month printed expiry is unusable after 7 days of opening. Without post-opening expiry tracking, technicians use reagents beyond their stability window — affecting result accuracy and increasing effective cost per test through invalid runs.

Analyser utilisation unknown — underperforming equipment not identified

Without per-analyser cost tracking, labs cannot compare the cost per CBC on Analyser A vs B, or identify that one analyser is running at 60% utilisation while another is at 95% — data that drives scheduling and equipment decisions.

QC separation

Patient test reagent cost separate from QC and calibration overhead

HISx tracks reagent consumption at the run level — every test run is classified as a patient test, QC run, or calibration event. Cost-per-test reporting uses only patient test runs as the denominator, with QC and calibration costs reported separately.

  • Patient test runs tracked separately from QC runs and calibration events
  • QC overhead calculated as a percentage of patient test cost for accurate test pricing
  • Post-opening expiry tracked per reagent lot — stability window alerts before use beyond stability
  • Lot-to-lot reagent consumption comparison — identify performance variation between lots
  • Per-analyser cost and utilisation reporting — identify under-utilised instruments
HISx lab inventory module
CBC reagent consumption breakdown — Feb 2025
Patient test consumption
1,240 patient tests × 1.0 unit1,240 units
QC runs (separate)
248 QC runs × 1.0 unit248 units
Calibration (separate)
124 calibrations × 1.0 unit124 units
True cost per patient test₹ 18.40
Without QC separation estimate would be ₹ 23.00+ — 25% overstated
Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Cost per test is calculated by tracking all reagent consumed for a specific test — including patient test runs, QC runs, and calibration events — and dividing total reagent cost by the number of patient tests completed. Without separating QC and calibration overhead from patient test reagent consumption, the cost-per-test figure is overstated and cannot be used for accurate test pricing or reagent contract negotiations.
QC runs consume reagent to verify analyser accuracy — they generate no patient revenue. If QC reagent consumption is not tracked separately, it is bundled into the overall reagent consumption figure and applied to patient tests, making the cost per patient test appear higher than it actually is. HISx tracks QC runs as a separate consumption category linked to the analyser and test panel.
HISx tracks each reagent lot from receipt through consumption and disposal. When a lot is opened, the opening date is recorded and the post-opening stability window begins. Consumption events — patient tests, QC runs, and calibration — are linked to the active lot. This lot-level tracking provides the complete reagent usage history required for NABL accreditation documentation.
Yes. HISx cost-per-test reporting can be filtered by analyser, reagent lot, test panel, and time period. This allows lab managers to compare cost per CBC run on different analysers, or compare reagent consumption efficiency between lots for the same test. Utilisation efficiency — tests per lot vs theoretical capacity — is also reported per analyser.

See cost per test reporting in HISx

Book a 30-minute demo — walk through reagent lot tracking, QC separation, and cost-per-test reporting for your analyser panel.

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