Decline in structural examination compliance in the hospital medical record with advancing level of training

A retrospective review of 115 randomly pulled hospital charts of patients admitted to the care of osteopathic physicians at an American Osteopathic Association-accredited primary care hospital revealed a significant decline in the frequency of structural examinations in history and physical examinations during a merger and relocation, as well as with increasing level of training of the examiner (chi 2 test, P < .001). Attending physicians completed fewer structural examinations (45% of their history and physical examinations) compared to house staff (70%) and students (92%). A follow-up anonymous survey of 100 osteopathic physicians and students (response rate, 58%) revealed that the low overall frequency of structural examination completion (60%) was due primarily to attending physicians who considered this examination less relevant or impractical for their hospitalized patients. These results indicate that education on relevance of structural examination and manipulative treatment for acutely ill patients needs to be directed not only to house staff and students but also to attending physicians to preserve and improve the use of osteopathic principles at osteopathic hospitals.