Changing Physician Behavior in Ordering Diagnostic Tests
- Dr Lundberg is Editor, JAMA.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- behavior
- diagnostic techniques and procedures
- laboratory techniques and procedures
- organizational policy
- physicians' practice patterns
Is it possible to change the behavior of physicians ordering diagnostic tests? The answer is yes. Is it difficult? Yes, in general, but it is easy to do if approached the right way. Although most people and organizations seem to not even try, those that do try often fail usually because they don't do it the right way. Physicians' behavior about ordering diagnostic tests can be changed if the laboratory director can confidently conjure up the wisdom about what to do, manifest the courage to do it, and sustain the backing of the organization's power structure.
Two articles in this issue of THE JOURNAL demonstrate how physician behavior can be changed and also point out what methods do not work. In a systematic critical review that cited 76 references, Solomon and colleagues1 found that randomized clinical trials on improving physicians' use of diagnostic tests were few and conclusions were …
