ArticleThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners2002
Understanding laboratory testing in diagnostic uncertainty: a qualitative study in general practice.
Article in The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 2002. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 59 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
59 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Strategies to reduce the use of low-value medical tests in primary care: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2020Pooled it
- Defining and Measuring Diagnostic Uncertainty in Medicine: A Systematic Review.Journal of general internal medicine · 2018Pooled it
- Effectiveness of interventions to reduce ordering of thyroid function tests: a systematic review.BMJ open · 2016Pooled it
- The effectiveness of interventions to improve laboratory requesting patterns among primary care physicians: a systematic review.Implementation science : IS · 2015Pooled it
- The effect of a test ordering software intervention on the prescription of unnecessary laboratory tests - a randomized controlled trial.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2017Trial
- The effect of watchful waiting compared to immediate test ordering instructions on general practitioners' blood test ordering behaviour for patients with unexplained complaints; a randomized clinical trial (ISRCTN55755886).Implementation science : IS · 2012Trial
- Influence of watchful waiting on satisfaction and anxiety among patients seeking care for unexplained complaints.Annals of family medicineTrial
- Managing and Communicating Diagnostic Uncertainty in Pediatric Emergency Care: National Insights and Opportunities for Intervention.Pediatric emergency care · 2026Article
- Additional Investigations and Referrals by Primary Care Physicians in Uncertain Clinical Situations: Cross-Sectional Study Using Virtual Patient-Based Scenarios.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Uncertainty in general practice: a myth of uniqueness?Family medicine and community health · 2026Review
- GPs' perspectives on diagnostic testing in children with persistent non-specific symptoms: a qualitative study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025Article
- General practitioners' experiences with chronic abdominal symptoms and a faecal calprotectin guided referral strategy in children: A Dutch qualitative study.The European journal of general practice · 2024Article
- Lyme serology in non-endemic countries: Why do we request it and what do we find?BMC infectious diseases · 2024Article
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- Factors Associated With Inpatient Subspecialty Consultation Patterns Among Pediatric Hospitalists.JAMA network open · 2023Article
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- Factors Associated with Physician Tolerance of Uncertainty: an Observational Study.Journal of general internal medicine · 2022Observational
- Practice variation across five European paediatric emergency departments: a prospective observational study.BMJ open · 2022Observational
- Redundant laboratory testing on referral from general practice to the outpatient clinic: a post-hoc analysis.BJGP open · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBetter knowledge of the professional's motives for ordering laboratory tests in the case of diagnostic uncertainty may lead to interventions directed at reducing unnecessary testing.
aimTo gain insight into the general practitioner's (GP's) motives for ordering laboratory tests for patients presenting with unexplained complaints. DESIGN OF STUDY: Semi-structured interviews based on surgery observations.
settingTwenty-one general practices in rural and urban areas of The Netherlands.
methodInvestigation of the GP's perception of determinants of test-ordering behaviour in the situation of diagnostic uncertainty. The interviews were structured by evaluating the consultations and test-ordering performance of that day.
resultsDutch GPs vary considerably in their motives for ordering tests. Numerous motives emerged from the data. Some examples of important themes include: personal routines; tolerance of diagnostic uncertainty; time pressure; and tactical motives for test ordering. Complying with the perceived needs of the patient for reassurance through testing is seen as an easy, cost- and time-effective strategy. A clear hierarchy in the determinants was not found.
conclusionThe decision to request laboratory testing is the result of a complex interaction of considerations that are often conflicting. Designers of interventions meant to improve the ordering of tests should be aware of the numerous determinants, and take contextual variables into account.
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Identifiers
12528582PMC1314466What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.