Improving test ordering in primary care: The added value of a small-group quality improvement strategy compared with classic feedback only

Annals of Family Medicine

Volumn 2, Issue 6, 2004, Pages 569-575

  Verstappen, Wim H J M ^a,b   Van Der Weijden, Trudy ^a   Dubois, Willy I ^a   Smeele, Ivo ^b   Hermsen, Jan ^c   Tan, Frans E S ^d   Grol, Richard P T M ^a  

^a MAASTRICHT UNIVERSITY   (Netherlands)

^b St Jans Hospital   (Netherlands)

^c ELKERLIEK HOSPITAL   (Netherlands)

^d CANISIUS WILHELMINA HOSPITAL   (Netherlands)

Author keywords

Feedback; Quality assurance, health care; Quality of health care; Small group quality improvement; Test ordering behavior

Indexed keywords

ABDOMINAL DISEASE; ADULT; ARTICLE; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE; CLINICAL PRACTICE; CLINICAL TRIAL; CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL; CONTROLLED STUDY; EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE; FEMALE; GROUP DYNAMICS; GROUP PSYCHOLOGY; HUMAN; LABORATORY TEST; MALE; NORMAL HUMAN; PHYSICIAN ATTITUDE; PRACTICE GUIDELINE; PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL; SOCIAL ASPECT;

ABDOMINAL PAIN; ADULT; AGED; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES; DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE; EDUCATION, MEDICAL; FEMALE; HUMANS; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; NETHERLANDS; PHYSICIANS; PRIMARY HEALTH CARE; QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE;

EID: 10444243271     PISSN: 15441709     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1370/afm.244     Document Type: Article

References (28)

1. Leurquin P, Van Casteren V, De Maeseneer J. Use of blood tests in general practice: a collaborative study in eight European countries. Eurosentinel Study Group. Br J Gen Pract. 1995;45:21-25.
2. Kassiser JP. Our stubborn quest for diagnostic certainty. A cause of excessive testing. New Engl J Med. 1989;320:1489-1491.
3. Ayanian JZ, Berwick DM. Do physicians have a bias toward action? A classic study revisited. Med Decis Making. 1991;11:154-158.
4. Mugford M, Banfield P, O'Hanlon M. Effects of feedback of information on clinical practice: a review. BMJ. 1991;303:398-402.
5. Davis DA, Thomson MA, Oxman AD, Haynes RB. Changing physician performance. A systematic review of the effect of continuing medical education strategies. JAMA. 1995;274:700-705.
6. Thomson O'Brien MA, Oxman AD, Davis DA, Haynes RB, Freemantle N, Harvey EL. Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 1997; CD000259.
7. Thomson O'Brien MA, Oxman AD, Davis DA, Haynes RB, Freemantle N, Harvey EL. Audit and feedback versus alternative strategies: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000; CD000260.
8. O'Connell DL, Henry D, Tomlins R. Randomised controlled trial of effect of feedback on general practitioners' prescribing in Australia. BMJ. 1999;318:507-511.
9. Eccles M, Steen N, Grimshaw J, et al. Effect of audit and feedback, and reminder messages on primary-care radiology referrals: a randomised trial. Lancet. 2001;357:1406-1409.
10. Wensing M, Grol R. Single and combined strategies for implementing changes in primary care: a literature review. Int J Health Care. 1994;6:115-132.
11. Wensing M, Van der Weijden T, Grol R. Implementing guidelines and innovations in general practice: which interventions are effective? Br J Gen Pract. 1998;48:991-997.
12. Grimshaw JM, Shirran L, Thomas R, et al. Changing provider behavior: an overview of systematic reviews of interventions. Med Care. 2001;39(8Suppl 2):112-45.
13. Winkens RAG, Pop P, Bugter-Maessen AMA, et al. Randomised controlled trial of routine individual feedback to improve rationality and reduce numbers of test requests. Lancet. 1995:498-502.
14. Tierney WM. Feedback of performance and diagnostic testing: lessons from Maastricht [editorial; comment]. Med Decis Making. 1996;16:418-419.
15. Grol R. Peer review in primary care. Quality Assur Health Care. 1990;2:219-226.
16. Grol R, Jones R. Lessons from 20 years of implementation research. Fam Pract. 2000;17:S32-S35.
17. Brady WJ, Hissa DC, McConnell M, Wones RG. Should physicians perform their own quality assurance audits? J Gen Intern Med. 1988;3:560-565.
18. Mittman B, Tonesk X, Jacobson P. Implementing clinical practice guidelines: social influence strategies and practitioner behavior change. Qual Rev Bull. 1992;18:413-422.
19. Lomas J, Enkin M, Anderson GM, Hannah WJ, Vayda E, Singer J. Opinion leaders vs audit and feedback to implement practice guidelines. Delivery after previous cesarean section. JAMA. 1991;265:2202-2207.
20. Thomson O'Brien MA, Oxman AD, Haynes RB, Davis DA, Freemantle N, Harvey EL. Local opinion leaders: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000(2): CD000125.
21. Tausch BD, Harter MC. Perceived effectiveness of diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines in primary care quality circles. Int J Qual Health Care. 2001;13:239-246.
22. Verstappen WH, Van Der Weijden T, Sijbrandij J, et al. Effect of a practice-based strategy on test ordering performance of primary care physicians: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2003;289:2407-2412.
23. Verstappen WH, van Merode F, Grimshaw J, Dubois WI, Grol RP, van der Weijden T. Comparing cost effects of two quality strategies to improve test ordering in primary care: a randomized trial. Int J Qual Health Care. 2004;16:391-398.
24. Verstappen W, van der Weijden T, Dubois W, et al. Lessons learnt from applying an innovative small group quality improvement strategy to improve test ordering in general practice. Qual Primary Care. 2004;12:79-85
25. Spooner A, Chapple A, Roland M. What makes British general practitioners take part in a quality improvement scheme? J Health Serv Res Policy. 2001;6:145-150.
26. Borbas C, Morris N, McLaughlin B, et al. The role of clinical opinion leaders in guideline implementation and quality improvement. Chest. 2000:118(2 Suppl):24s-32s.
27. Winkens RA, Grol RP, Beusmans GH, Kester AD, Knottnerus JA, Pop P. Does a reduction in general practitioners' use of diagnostic tests lead to more hospital referrals? Brit J Gen Pract. 1995;45:289-292.
28. Kaag ME, Wijkel D, de Jong D. Primary health care replacing hospital care-the effect on quality of care. Int J Qual Health Care. 1996;8:367-373.