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Brief ReportBrief Report

Family Physicians' Knowledge of Commonly Overused Treatments and Tests

Douglas Maurer, Mark Stephens, Brian Reamy, Brian Crownover, Paul Crawford and Tammy Chang
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine September 2014, 27 (5) 699-703; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2014.05.140003
Douglas Maurer
From the Madigan Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Tacoma, WA (DM); the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (MS, BR); the Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, Nellis AFB, NV (BC, PC); and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (TC).
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Mark Stephens
From the Madigan Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Tacoma, WA (DM); the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (MS, BR); the Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, Nellis AFB, NV (BC, PC); and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (TC).
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Brian Reamy
From the Madigan Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Tacoma, WA (DM); the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (MS, BR); the Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, Nellis AFB, NV (BC, PC); and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (TC).
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Brian Crownover
From the Madigan Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Tacoma, WA (DM); the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (MS, BR); the Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, Nellis AFB, NV (BC, PC); and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (TC).
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Paul Crawford
From the Madigan Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Tacoma, WA (DM); the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (MS, BR); the Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, Nellis AFB, NV (BC, PC); and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (TC).
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Tammy Chang
From the Madigan Army Medical Center Family Medicine Residency, Tacoma, WA (DM); the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (MS, BR); the Nellis Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency, Nellis AFB, NV (BC, PC); and the Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (TC).
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Abstract

Purpose: In 2010, several primary care physician organizations drafted the “Promoting Good Stewardship in Clinical Practice” list for family medicine to advance the appropriate use of 5 commonly ordered treatments and tests. The goal was to achieve excellent patient care while appropriately conserving health care resources. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge regarding the appropriate use of these treatments and tests among the memberships of the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians (USAFP) and the Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM).

Methods: An online, cross-sectional survey of all family physician members of the USAFP and the CAFM was conducted. The survey consisted of 5 clinical cases administered as part of a larger omnibus CAFM Educational Research Alliance survey and a separate USAFP membership survey. The primary outcome was correct answers to clinical scenarios.

Results: The response rate was 11% (n = 236 of 2165) for members of USAFP and 47% (n = 519 of 1099) for CAFM members, with an overall response rate of 23% (n = 755 of 3264). Overall, respondents answered 78% of cases correctly (USAFP 79%, CAFM 78%; no significant difference). In rank order, respondents were most likely to answer the Papanicolaou test question correctly (90.1%), followed by the low-back pain (86.7%), the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry screening (85.4%), the sinusitis (66.5%), and the cardiac screening questions (61.4%).

Conclusion: Among the family physicians surveyed, knowledge about the appropriate use of commonly overused tests and treatments was high. Two clinical scenarios (sinusitis and cardiac screening) demonstrate areas where further education could improve care and reduce costs.

  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures
  • Low-Back Pain
  • Prevention and Control
  • Primary Health Care
  • Sinusitis
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The Journal of the American Board of Family     Medicine: 27 (5)
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Vol. 27, Issue 5
September-October 2014
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Family Physicians' Knowledge of Commonly Overused Treatments and Tests
Douglas Maurer, Mark Stephens, Brian Reamy, Brian Crownover, Paul Crawford, Tammy Chang
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Sep 2014, 27 (5) 699-703; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2014.05.140003

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Family Physicians' Knowledge of Commonly Overused Treatments and Tests
Douglas Maurer, Mark Stephens, Brian Reamy, Brian Crownover, Paul Crawford, Tammy Chang
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Sep 2014, 27 (5) 699-703; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2014.05.140003
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Keywords

  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures
  • Low-Back Pain
  • Prevention and Control
  • Primary Health Care
  • Sinusitis

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