Document Detail


Use and appropriateness of transthoracic echocardiography in an academic medical center: a pilot observational study.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19022620     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the use of echocardiography in relation to recently released appropriateness criteria for echocardiography. METHODS: By using the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Society of Echocardiography appropriateness criteria, we examined transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) ordering on the general medicine service at a tertiary referral center. RESULTS: During the 35-day study period, 351 TTE orders in the queue were placed by residents. Of the 274 eligible TTEs, a large majority (86%) were appropriate. The 4 most common indications were heart failure (23%), known or suspected endocarditis (16%), syncope (14%), and arrhythmia (10%). Suspicion of endocarditis was the most common misuse, with 22% of this indication and 13% of the total studied either inappropriate or unclear. CONCLUSION: Medical house officers at Massachusetts General Hospital are typically using TTE appropriately. Future studies are needed to characterize ordering behavior in various settings and to refine the appropriateness criteria for specific, common indications.
Authors:
Nicole M Martin; Michael H Picard
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2008-11-20
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography     Volume:  22     ISSN:  1097-6795     ISO Abbreviation:  J Am Soc Echocardiogr     Publication Date:  2009 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-01-09     Completed Date:  2009-03-26     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8801388     Medline TA:  J Am Soc Echocardiogr     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  48-52     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Cardiology Division and the Department of Medicine of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. nmartin2@partners.org
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Academic Medical Centers / statistics & numerical data*
Boston / epidemiology
Cardiomyopathies / epidemiology*,  ultrasonography*
Echocardiography / utilization*
Heart Diseases / epidemiology*,  ultrasonography*
Humans
Internship and Residency / statistics & numerical data
Physician's Practice Patterns / statistics & numerical data*
Pilot Projects
Utilization Review*
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2009 Jan;22(1):60-2   [PMID:  19131003 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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