Family Practice, Vol 15, 264-265, Copyright © 1998 by World Organization of Family Doctors
P Little, T Cantrell, L Roberts, J Chapman, J Langridge and R Pickering
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the most important medical and
psychosocial reasons GPs report for requesting back X-rays. METHODS: All
GPs in a single health district were mailed a questionnaire and asked to
document their reasons for requesting back X-rays. RESULTS: A total of
166/236 (70%) of GPs responded. There were 445 comments (mean 2.7 per
doctor): 319 (72%) were medical indications (mean 1.9 per doctor) and 126
(28%) psychosocial reasons (mean 0.8 per doctor). GPs' medical criteria for
requesting back X-rays were mainly in line with current guidelines. The
most common psychosocial reasons were patient satisfaction (17%), work
related (14%) and reassurance (8%). CONCLUSION: GPs' reported medical
criteria for arranging back X-rays are mainly 'appropriate', but
psychosocial reasons-especially patient satisfaction and reassurance-are
also likely to be important factors. If psycho-social agendas are important
in ordering investigations, then clinical guidelines which discuss only
medical criteria may not be effective in reducing 'inappropriate'
investigations.
ORIGINAL CLINICAL RESEARCH
Why do GPs perform investigations?: The medical and social agendas in arranging back X-rays
Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine Health and Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.
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