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Improving the Appropriate Use of Transthoracic Echocardiography: The Echo WISELY Trial.
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017 Aug 29;70(9):1135-1144
Authors: Bhatia RS, Ivers NM, Yin XC, Myers D, Nesbitt GC, Edwards J, Yared K, Wadhera RK, Wu JC, Kithcart AP, Wong BM, Hansen MS, Weinerman AS, Shadowitz S, Elman D, Farkouh ME, Thavendiranathan P, Udell JA, Johri AM, Chow CM, Hall J, Bouck Z, Cohen A, Thorpe KE, Rakowski H, Picard MH, Weiner RB
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Appropriate use criteria (AUC) have defined transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) indications for which there is a clear lack of benefit as rarely appropriate (rA).
OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate the impact of an AUC-based educational intervention on outpatient TTE ordering by cardiologists and primary care providers.
METHODS: The authors conducted a prospective, investigator-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial of an AUC-based educational intervention aimed at reducing rA outpatient TTEs. The study was conducted at 8 hospitals across 2 countries. The authors randomized cardiologists and primary care providers to receive either intervention or control (no intervention). The primary outcome measure was the proportion of rA TTEs.
RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-six physicians were randomized, and 179 were included in the analysis. From December 2014 to April 2016, the authors assessed 14,697 TTEs for appropriateness, of which 99% were classifiable using the 2011 AUC. The mean proportion of rA TTEs was significantly lower in the intervention versus the control group (8.8% vs. 10.1%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.57 to 0.99; p = 0.039). In physicians who ordered, on average, at least 1 TTE per month, there was a significantly lower proportion of rA TTEs in the intervention versus the control group (8.6% vs. 11.1%; OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.99; p = 0.047). There was no difference in the TTE ordering volume between the intervention and control groups (mean 77.7 ± 89.3 vs. 85.4 ± 111.4; p = 0.83).
CONCLUSIONS: An educational intervention reduced the number of rA TTEs ordered by attending physicians in a variety of ambulatory care environments. This may prove to be an effective strategy to improve the use of imaging. (A Multi-Centered Feedback and Education Intervention Designed to Reduce Inappropriate Transthoracic Echocardiograms [Echo WISELY]; NCT02038101).
PMID: 28838362 [PubMed - in process]