Since I have started my online classes, the one thing I have been enjoying is reading some current literature. It is becoming a running joke at work, that I keep coming in, and saying throughout the day, when a particular patient is relevant, "I read this article the other day/last night/yesterday......." we laugh because I am starting to sound eerily similar to Alyson Hannigan's character in American Pie, "this one time, in band camp....." 
But I digress......
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah,
So I read the article last night……teehee…..
That had some pretty interesting statistics to present…..because it reconfirmed to me, one of things I am realizing since staring my DPT classes, is how behind I have fallen in keeping up with research, although I do attend continuing education courses and think I pride myself in good quality care…..
In a Feb 2005 article in the Annals of Internal Medicine, they reviewed a total of 62 samples and reported on the relationship between medical knowledge/quality of healthcare and number of years in practice/physician age.
Now what is one criteria most of us use in choosing a doctor?? Typically age/experience.
Well – it seems this may not be a good barometer….
In 32 of the 62 samples, they concluded performance decreased on ALL outcomes assessed as years in practice increased. In another 13, no positive association between number of years in practice and better performance. The remaining 16 showed a mixture of increased, decreased or no association between experience and quality. Only ONE sample showed a correlation between all outcomes and years of experience.
People,
That is scary!!
Of course, this is not all inclusive, and there are physicians out there that keep up on current literature, and use research evidence to back up their treatments. As well as the realization that apathy can increase with experience, leading physicians to possibly make assumptions, instead of listening to us, the patient. In the radiology course I am taking, many studies we have read, indicate that primary care or family physicians had the highest over utilization of diagnostic tests, and the hypothesis is, that they have a weaker “specific” knowledge of certain things,and thus order lots of testing in hopes of “finding” something they may not know how to look for otherwise.
it just means, we as consumers need to be very selective and not afraid to speak up, advocate for ourselves and change doctors if we are not satisfied with our treatments. I tend to seek out specialist, if there is something more specific wrong, than the run of the mill head colds, ear infections etc. I feel, and this is my own personal observation, at least a specialist has had further training in more specific areas, than the broad training that primary care doctors receive. We really need to ask questions, do some research ourselves and KNOW your body. Many many doctors do things, just because it is how they have always done it.
Just felt the need to “pass it on” – and sorry, I can’t promise this to be the last,
“I read this article the other day……..” post!
2 comments:
I think the key is, as you've stated, advocate for yourself. You are your own best advocate. I wish more people would do this more often and not depend on their doctor's to be the be-all-end-all.
Yup - and it's so wonderful we can do that here! I hope that doesn't change.
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