Reducing unnecessary vitamin testing in general practice: barriers and facilitators according to general practitioners and patients.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

There has been an increase in testing of vitamins in patients in general practice, often based on irrational indications or for non-specific symptoms, causing increasing healthcare expenditures and medicalisation of patients. So far, there is little evidence of effective strategies to reduce this overtesting in general practice. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore the barriers and facilitators for reducing the number of (unnecessary) vitamin D and B₁₂ laboratory tests ordered.

Design and setting

This qualitative study, based on a grounded theory design, used semistructured interviews among general practitioners (GPs) and patients from two primary care networks (147 GPs, 195 000 patients). These networks participated in the Reducin

SUBMITTER: Hofstede H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6797438 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature