Doctors taking blood from children: a suitable case for treatment?

Despite an intention to take blood samples regularly from children with diabetes, only 31 per cent of 60 required samples were collected. Following an intervention which required the doctors to complete an 'explanation slip' each time a request was not met, the collection rate of blood samples rose from 31 to 69 per cent. These results draw attention to the role of the doctors' behaviour in achieving health care objectives.