Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Abstract Background The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine whether teaching limited compression ultrasound (LCUS) to general practitioners (GP) would reduce the number of patients with a suspected lower extremity DVT referred to a hospital for ultrasound (US) examination. According t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2021-02-01
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| Series: | The Ultrasound Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-021-00204-y |
| _version_ | 1818388123700166656 |
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| author | Ossi Hannula Ritva Vanninen Suvi Rautiainen Kalle Mattila Harri Hyppölä |
| author_facet | Ossi Hannula Ritva Vanninen Suvi Rautiainen Kalle Mattila Harri Hyppölä |
| author_sort | Ossi Hannula |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine whether teaching limited compression ultrasound (LCUS) to general practitioners (GP) would reduce the number of patients with a suspected lower extremity DVT referred to a hospital for ultrasound (US) examination. According to the current literature, an LCUS protocol is a safe way to diagnose or exclude lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and a good option to radiologist-performed whole-leg ultrasound (US), especially in remote health care units where there may be a limited availability of radiological services. Methods Between 2015 and 2016, altogether 13 GPs working in the same primary care unit were trained in LCUS for DVT diagnostics. The number of annual referrals due to a suspected DVT from Saarikka primary care unit to the closest hospital was evaluated before and after training. The incidence of DVT was considered to be constant. Thus, the reduction of referrals was attributed to the fact that these patients were diagnosed and treated in primary health care. Incidence rate ratio of hospital referrals was calculated. As a measure of safety, all patients diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism in the nearest hospital were evaluated to determine if they had undergone LCUS by a GP in primary care. Results Before training in 2014, there were 60 annual referrals due to a suspected DVT; in 2017, after training, the number was reduced to 16, i.e., a 73.3% decrease. The incidence of referrals decreased from 3.21 to 0.89 per 1000 person-years. (IRR 3.58, 95% CI 2.04–6.66, p < 0.001). No patient with a pulmonary embolism diagnosis had LCUS performed previously, indicating that there were no false negatives, resulting in pulmonary embolism. Conclusions Teaching LCUS to GPs can safely reduce the number of patients with a suspected DVT referred to a hospital substantially. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:20:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-66fe317d00b344caa30c7865976fddea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2524-8987 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:20:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Ultrasound Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-66fe317d00b344caa30c7865976fddea2022-12-21T23:17:22ZengSpringerOpenThe Ultrasound Journal2524-89872021-02-011311710.1186/s13089-021-00204-yTeaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional studyOssi Hannula0Ritva Vanninen1Suvi Rautiainen2Kalle Mattila3Harri Hyppölä4Central Finland Central HospitalDepartment of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University HospitalUniversity of Eastern FinlandEmergency Department, Turku University HospitalEmergency Department, South Savo Central HospitalAbstract Background The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine whether teaching limited compression ultrasound (LCUS) to general practitioners (GP) would reduce the number of patients with a suspected lower extremity DVT referred to a hospital for ultrasound (US) examination. According to the current literature, an LCUS protocol is a safe way to diagnose or exclude lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and a good option to radiologist-performed whole-leg ultrasound (US), especially in remote health care units where there may be a limited availability of radiological services. Methods Between 2015 and 2016, altogether 13 GPs working in the same primary care unit were trained in LCUS for DVT diagnostics. The number of annual referrals due to a suspected DVT from Saarikka primary care unit to the closest hospital was evaluated before and after training. The incidence of DVT was considered to be constant. Thus, the reduction of referrals was attributed to the fact that these patients were diagnosed and treated in primary health care. Incidence rate ratio of hospital referrals was calculated. As a measure of safety, all patients diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism in the nearest hospital were evaluated to determine if they had undergone LCUS by a GP in primary care. Results Before training in 2014, there were 60 annual referrals due to a suspected DVT; in 2017, after training, the number was reduced to 16, i.e., a 73.3% decrease. The incidence of referrals decreased from 3.21 to 0.89 per 1000 person-years. (IRR 3.58, 95% CI 2.04–6.66, p < 0.001). No patient with a pulmonary embolism diagnosis had LCUS performed previously, indicating that there were no false negatives, resulting in pulmonary embolism. Conclusions Teaching LCUS to GPs can safely reduce the number of patients with a suspected DVT referred to a hospital substantially.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-021-00204-yDVTGeneral practitionerLCUSPOCUSPostgraduate medical educationPrimary health care |
| spellingShingle | Ossi Hannula Ritva Vanninen Suvi Rautiainen Kalle Mattila Harri Hyppölä Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study The Ultrasound Journal DVT General practitioner LCUS POCUS Postgraduate medical education Primary health care |
| title | Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected dvt to a hospital a retrospective cross sectional study |
| topic | DVT General practitioner LCUS POCUS Postgraduate medical education Primary health care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-021-00204-y |
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