[How to make vitamin testing by GP's more efficient]

Area of Science:

• Clinical Practice
• Laboratory Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• General practitioners (GPs) have shown a dramatic increase in vitamin testing orders.
• The number of established indications for vitamin testing remains limited and constant.
• Over-testing of vitamins may lead to unnecessary healthcare costs and potential patient harm.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an intervention aimed at reducing vitamin B12 and vitamin D testing by GPs.
• To assess the sustainability of the intervention's effects on testing rates.
• To inform a broader national campaign for optimizing vitamin testing.

Main Methods:

• The intervention involved providing GPs with feedback on their vitamin test ordering numbers.
• Education for GPs included communication skills training.
• Patient information was also provided to a subset of patients.

Main Results:

• Vitamin B12 testing orders were reduced by 20%.
• Vitamin D testing orders decreased by 23%.
• The intervention demonstrated sustainable effects on testing rates over time.

Conclusions:

• Targeted feedback and education can effectively reduce vitamin testing by GPs.
• The intervention's success supported the development of a national campaign.
• A national campaign involving e-learning, disseminated materials, and benchmark information was launched to promote appropriate vitamin testing.