title: Importance of patient history and physical examination in rheumatoid arthritis compared to other chronic diseases: results of a physician survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To survey physicians' opinions concerning the relative importance of 5 clinical encounter components-vital signs, patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and ancillary studies-in the diagnosis and management of 8 chronic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A SurveyMonkey internet survey was e-mailed to 7,265 US physicians, including 3,542 rheumatologists and 3,723 nonrheumatologists, with the following query: "Please indicate the relative importance of 5 sources of information-vital signs, patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and ancillary studies-in diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, lymphoma, pulmonary fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and ulcerative colitis." The response options were 0-20%, 21-40%, 41-60%, 61-80%, and 81-100%. A second query with an identical structure addressed management of the 8 diseases. The proportions of physicians who estimated each component as most (or tied for most) important in diagnosis or in management were computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey was completed by 313 physicians (154 rheumatologists and 159 nonrheumatologists). More than 90% estimated vital signs as most important for hypertension, and laboratory tests for diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia. More than 70% estimated ancillary studies as most important for lymphoma, pulmonary fibrosis, and ulcerative colitis. Patient history and physical examination were estimated as most important for RA and CHF by ≥50% of nonrheumatologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RA and CHF were the only 2 of the 8 diseases studied for which ≥50% of nonrheumatologists estimated a patient history and physical examination as most important for diagnosis and management. Confirmation and extension of these observations in actual care may have implications for reimbursement and organization of clinical care.
authors.affiliation: New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castrejón
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCollum
authors.forename: Mine Durusu
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tanriover
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pincus
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D020407:Internet; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D010820:Physicians; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy