GP registrars over-order pathology tests
24th October 2015
GP registrars order more pathology tests than established GPs, often because they are less confident about dealing with uncertainty and want to reassure patients, Australian research suggests.
Vocational training providers have been urged to provide GP registrars with more education and feedback on their pathology test ordering, by researchers who found trainees were prone to over-ordering tests compared with established GPs.
The study of 856 GP trainees with five regional training providers found that registrars ordered pathology tests in more than 22% of consultations, compared with 19%