For a random sample of 1029 visits occurring over a 1-year period in a family medicine service 1067 diagnostic tests were done within 1 week (or within 3 weeks in the case of nuclear medicine) following the visit; this represents a mean of 1.04 tests, costing $ 8.30, per visit. There was no test ordered in most (62.5%) of the visits. The results of 909 tests were recorded; 36.6% were abnormal. The pattern of use of diagnostic tests varied considerably among the physicians; however, no association was observed between this pattern and the status of the physician, the site of the encounter, or the age or sex of the patient. There was a weak and not statistically significant correlation between the number of problems identified and the number of tests with abnormal results per visit. These results suggest that the problem of overuse of diagnostic tests may not be as acute in a family medicine service as it has been observed to be in other settings.
Notes
Cites: J Fam Pract. 1980 Nov;11(6):943-87005390
Cites: N Engl J Med. 1982 Mar 25;306(12):706-127038484
Cites: Union Med Can. 1982 Feb;111(2):167-727080268
Cites: N Engl J Med. 1980 Dec 4;303(23):1330-67432374
Cites: Med Care. 1977 Jun;15(6):482-7875494
Cites: J Med Educ. 1977 Jul;52(7):578-81874991
Cites: Med Care. 1974 Aug;12(8):709-134855370
Cites: JAMA. 1973 Aug 20;225(8):969-734740560
Cites: Am J Public Health. 1972 Jun;62(6):846-535032012
Cites: Br Med J. 1970 Mar 7;1(5696):620-35440241
Cites: JAMA. 1967 Sep 18;201(12):938-426072631
Cites: Ann Intern Med. 1971 Aug;75(2):157-634997641