Table 2

Total cost of low-value services in Alberta between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2015

 Low-value service Total number performed Cost per test ($) Total cost ($) 1. PSA testing for men 75 or older with no history of prostate cancer 128 818 43 5 539 174 2. Routine cancer screening (breast, cervical, colon, prostate) in dialysis patients 75 years or older 479 284 136 036 3. Cervical cancer screening for women over 65 with no history of cervical dysplasia or genital cancer 56 512 320 18 083 840 4. Bone mineral density testing within 2 years of prior scan 32 242 75 2 418 150 5. Hypercoagulability testing in patients with first DVT/PE 887 41 36 367 6. Preoperative coronary CT scan or cardiac stress tests before non-cardiac surgery 8849 586 5 185 514 7. Colorectal cancer screening in people 75 years or older 4035 669 269 415 7a. Colorectal cancer screening for people 85 years or older 147 669 98 343 8. Homocysteine testing without B12 or folate testing or history of B12/folate deficiency 13 546 31 419 926 9. Carotid artery imaging but without history of stroke or TIA 2946 345 1 016 370 10. Carotid artery imaging for patients with syncope but no history of stroke or TIA 361 345 124 545
• PSA, prostate-specific antigen.