Increasing Knowledge in the Requesting of Clinical Investigations

Abstract

Purpose Overtesting, ordering diagnostic investigations that do not help diagnose or manage a patient, is well-recognized as a problem across multiple healthcare settings in developed countries. One of the reasons often cited for overtesting is a lack of confidence or knowledge, so this article addresses our attempt to reduce overtesting through an investigation-specific course for a physician associate (PA) program based in the United Kingdom. We found no evidence of pedagogical literature that focused on clinical diagnostics teaching and assessment for PAs, so we aim to be the first to provide this research. Methods To assess student confidence, student feedback was collected through open-ended focus groups and qualitative surveys. The effectiveness of the course was evaluated through students' scores on investigation single best answer assessments. Results Overall, qualitative feedback from students showed an increase in knowledge in accurate investigation requests and interpretation. Students' assessment scores show a marked improvement after the implementation of the course. Conclusion This approach to an investigation-specific course, with a focus on limiting overinvestigating, demonstrates improved student performance on investigation assessments at the university level.