- Title
- Test ordering in an evidence free zone: rates and associations of Australian general practice trainees’ vitamin D test ordering
- Creator
- Tapley, Amanda; Magin, Parker; Bonevski, Billie; Morgan, Simon; Henderson, Kim; Scott, John; Thomas, Allison; Spike, Neil; McArthur, Lawrie; van Driel, Mieke; McElduff, Patrick
- Relation
- Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice Vol. 21, Issue 6, p. 1151-1156
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jep.12322
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2015
- Description
- Rationale, aims and objectives: Indiscriminate health screening is increasingly seen as being problematic. In particular, vitamin D testing rates are increasing rapidly despite recommendations against population screening. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of vitamin D testing among family practice/general practitioner (GP) trainees and to establish associations of this testing. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the ReCEnT (Registrars Clinical Encoun-ters in Training) cohort study. The setting was GP practices in four Australian states. Data from 60 consecutive consultations per trainee were recorded each 6-month training term (up to four terms). Results: Vitamin D tests were ordered in 726 (1.0%) of encounters (n = 69 412). Vitamin D test ordering was significantly associated with patients being older, female and non-English speaking. Trainees were more likely to test if they worked in a completely bulk-billing practice (i.e. a practice without any patient payment), if more problems were dealt with, more pathology tests were ordered in the consultation and if a lipid profile was ordered. They were less likely to test if they sought in-consultation advice or information. The most common reasons for testing were ‘check-up’ and ‘health maintenance’. Conclusions: In this first report of associations of vitamin D testing in the GP setting, we found that non-targeted vitamin D testing (testing inconsistent with current guidelines) is widespread in GP trainees’ practice. Adoption of more rational testing approaches is needed.
- Subject
- evidence-based medicine; vitamin D; general practice; family practice; testing; trainees; education
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1333177
- Identifier
- uon:27027
- Identifier
- ISSN:1356-1294
- Rights
- This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Tapley, Amanda; Magin, Parker; Bonevski, Billie; Morgan, Simon; Henderson, Kim; Scott, John; Thomas, Allison; Spike, Neil; McArthur, Lawrie; van Driel, Mieke; McElduff, Patrick. "Test ordering in an evidence free zone: rates and associations of Australian general practice trainees’ vitamin D test ordering" Published in Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, Vol. 21, Issue 6, pp 1151-1156, (2015), which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jep.12322/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
- Reviewed
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
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