Table 1 Test ordering by self-identified high vs low/average utilizers of diagnostic tests and attending physicians vs trainees
High Utilizers* of Tests (N = 19)** | Low/Avg* Utilizers of Tests (N = 111)** | p | Attending Physicians (N = 33)** | Trainees (N = 99)** | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Median Age, number (min-max) | 29 (25–48) | 28 (23–66) | 0.88 | 42 (28–66) | 27 (23–37) | < 0.001 |
Female Sex, number (%) | 11 (58%) | 44 (40%) | 0.15 | 12 (38%) | 43 (43%) | 0.55 |
Self-identified as a high utilizer of tests†, number (%) | – | – | – | 6 (18%) | 13 (13%) | 0.57 |
Indicate that GIM providers order too many tests†, number (%) | 14 (74%) | 81 (73%) | 0.95 | 24 (73%) | 72 (73%) | 0.93 |
Average number of lab tests per patient ordered in first 24 h of admission, number (SD) | 12.4 | 9.9 | 0.12 | 12.5 | 9.5 | 0.10 |
Average number of other‡ tests ordered in first 24 h, number (SD) | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.88 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 0.26 |
Average number of daily lab tests per patient in first week of admission, number (SD) | 4.4 | 4.6 | 0.88 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 0.66 |
Average estimated number of other‡ tests per day of admission, number (SD) | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.31 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.78 |
Feels confident when estimating number of lab and other tests †, number (%) | 2 (11%) | 10 (9%) | 0.69 | 3 (9%) | 9 (9%) | 1.00 |
Strongly considers cost when choosing lab tests†, number (%) | 1 (5%) | 30 (27%) | 0.04 | 14 (42%) | 17 (17%) | < 0.001 |
Strongly considers patient comfort when choosing lab tests†, number (%) | 9 (47%) | 54 (49%) | 0.92 | 23 (70%) | 41 (41%) | 0.01 |
Strongly considers clinical utility when choosing lab tests†, number (%) | 16 (84%) | 104 (95%) | 0.31 | 33 (100%) | 89 (92%) | 0.20 |
Proportion of work day spent deciding what tests to order, % | 32% | 27% | 0.23 | 19% | 31% | < 0.001 |