Impact of end user involvement in implementing guidelines on routine pre-operative tests.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of health professionals' involvement in the implementation of practice guidelines aimed at reducing the use of pre-operative tests in patients at low anaesthetic risk undergoing elective surgery.


METHODS
A 6 month (September 1997 to February 1998) strategy based upon organization of local meetings involving health professionals from six hospitals of Canton Ticino (Switzerland).


METHODS
Observational study (pre/post) of pre-operative test utilization between March 1996 and December 1998.


METHODS
A total of 17,978 patients admitted for elective surgery over the study period. The latter was modelled in six intervals, three before (baseline), one during, and two after (adoption) guidelines implementation, respectively. For each time interval the proportion of patients undergoing pre-operative tests was estimated. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to assess patient likelihood [expressed as the odds ratio (OR)] of undergoing a diagnostic test in each period, using the implementation interval as the reference category.


METHODS
Change in patient probability of undergoing pre-operative tests in the adoption interval.


RESULTS
Adoption of the recommendations was associated with 81% [OR = 0.19; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15-0.23] reduction of patient probability of undergoing coagulation test, 73% (OR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.23-0.33) for glycaemia, 62% (OR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.33-0.44) for azotaemia, 57% (OR = 0.43; 95% CI 0.36-0.51) for chest X-ray, 49% (OR = 0.51; 95% CI 0.44-0.60) for creatinemia, and 43% (OR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.48-0.69) for ECG. Overall, these findings corresponded to a cost saving of 67,890 Swiss francs (US$42,000) for the last quarter under study.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that an implementation strategy based upon direct involvement of end users in the identification of possible barriers to change can be successful in promoting the use of practice guidelines.
Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Viale Officina 3, 6501 Bellinzona, Switzerland. fabrizio.barazzoni@eoc.ch
Fabrizio
F
Barazzoni
Roberto
R
Grilli
Anna Maria Vincenza
AM
Amicosante
Sonia
S
Brescianini
Michele A
MA
Marca
Marco
M
Baggi
Paul
P
Biegger
Rezio
R
Renella
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000776:Anesthesiology; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D018579:Patient Selection; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013557:Switzerland; D014511:Uremia / Q000175:diagnosis; D014600:Utilization Review
D001786:Blood Glucose; D003404:Creatinine