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. 1992 Apr 25;304(6834):1093-6.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.304.6834.1093.

Effect of feedback on test ordering behaviour of general practitioners

R A Winkens  1 , P Pop, R P Grol, A D Kester, J A Knottnerus
Affiliations

Effect of feedback on test ordering behaviour of general practitioners

R A Winkens et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effect of feedback on the test ordering behaviour of general practitioners.

Design: Comparison of requests at two diagnostic centres, and internal comparison between tests which were discussed in feedback and tests which were not.

Setting: A diagnostic centre in Maastricht giving feedback and another elsewhere in the Netherlands (laboratory A) not giving feedback.

Subjects: All 85 general practitioners in the region of Maastricht, and all general practitioners in the region of laboratory A.

Main outcome measures: Numbers of tests requested by general practitioners.

Results: Requests at the Maastricht diagnostic centre decreased soon after the onset of feedback whereas there was a persistent increase in requests at laboratory A. Tests that were discussed showed the strongest decrease (maximum 40%), though tests that were not discussed decreased as well (maximum 27%).

Conclusions: Feedback on diagnostic requests may exert a strong influence on request behaviour. Four years after the onset of feedback the effects were still noticeable.

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