The opinion and experiences of Dutch orthopedic surgeons and radiologists about diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging in primary care: a survey.
OBJECTIVE
The use of diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound (DMUS) in primary health care has increased in the recent years. Nevertheless, there are hardly any data concerning the reliability, accuracy and treatment consequences of DMUS used by physical therapists or general practitioners. Moreover, there are no papers published about how orthopedic surgeons or radiologists deal with the results of DMUS performed in primary care. Therefore, our aim is to evaluate the opinion, possible advantages or disadvantages and experiences of Dutch orthopedic surgeons and radiologists about DMUS in primary care.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey in which respondents completed a self-developed questionnaire to determine their opinion, experiences, advantages, disadvantages of performing DMUS in primary care.


RESULTS
Questionnaires were sent to 838 Dutch orthopedic surgeons and radiologists of which 213 were returned (response rate 25.4%). Our respondents saw no additional value for health care for diagnostic DMUS in primary care. DMUSs were generally repeated in secondary care. They perceived more disadvantages than advantages of performing DMUS in primary care. Mentioned disadvantages were: 'false positive results' (71.4%), 'lack of experience' (70%), 'insufficient education' (69.5%), not able to relate the outcomes of DMUS with other forms of diagnostic imaging' (65.7%), and 'false negative results' (65.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Radiologists and orthopedic surgeons sampled in the Netherlands show low trust in DMUS knowledge of physical therapists and general practitioners. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the small response rate and the lack of representativeness to other countries.
Department Physical Therapy, Research Group Diagnostics, University of Applied Sciences, Breda, The Netherlands; Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ggm.scholten@gmail.com.
Gwendolijne G M
GG
Scholten-Peeters
Department Physical Therapy, Research Group Diagnostics, University of Applied Sciences, Breda, The Netherlands.
Nicole
N
Franken
Orthopedic Surgeon and Handsurgeon, Upper Limb Unit Department of Orthopedic surgery, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.
Annechien
A
Beumer
Department Physical Therapy, Research Group Diagnostics, University of Applied Sciences, Breda, The Netherlands; Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Arianne P
AP
Verhagen
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009426:Netherlands; D009985:Orthopedics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011871:Radiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography
Advantages; Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound; Primary care; Survey