An association between an educational intervention and a reduction in inappropriate troponin testing in patients presenting to an adult emergency department.

Link to article at PubMed

An association between an educational intervention and a reduction in inappropriate troponin testing in patients presenting to an adult emergency department.

Intern Med J. 2014 Jul 29;

Authors: Scorgie R, Nicholls GM, Jones P

Abstract
High sensitivity troponin (hsTnT) replaced the 4(th) generation assay at our institution in July 2010. Prior experience suggested that the number of positive tests with the new assay may double, and that many troponin requests were inappropriate.
OBJECTIVES: To design and measure the effect of an educational intervention to reduce the number of inappropriate troponin tests. Secondarily, to compare weekly totals of troponin tests before and after the intervention, to note patients with missed acute coronary syndrome (ACS) during the study period and to survey clinicians regarding their likely troponin ordering practices in certain clinical scenarios.
METHODS: A staff survey informed the content of the educational intervention. Criteria for inappropriate testing were defined prior to the study. Retrospective notes review of pre and post intervention cohorts was used to determine the reduction in inappropriate troponin tests.
RESULTS: 96 patients were in each cohort. The proportion of inappropriate tests fell from 43% (95%CI 33 - 53) pre intervention to 22% (95% CI 14 - 31) post intervention, p=0.002. Weekly total of troponin tests performed decreased from a mean of 298 (95%CI, 290-307) pre intervention to 244(95%CI 232-255) post intervention, p < 0.001. No cases of missedACS were found, all cause mortality was unchanged following the intervention.
CONCLUSION: Our educational intervention was associated with a reduction in inappropriate use of troponin tests and a reduction in the total number of tests requested, with no known missed ACS. Others faced with a change to a high sensitivity assay should consider a similar intervention.

PMID: 25069598 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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