This book reports changes in GP ordering of imaging tests in Australia from 2002-03 to 2011-12, and evaluates alignment between guidelines and recent GP test ordering for selected problems. Over the decade, 9,802 GPs participated in BEACH, providing details of 980,200 GP-patient encounters. The likelihood of GPs ordering imaging in the management of a problem increased over time. In recent practice, at least one imaging test was ordered at 9% of encounters, at a rate of 10 imaging tests per 100 encounters. Diagnostic radiology was the most commonly ordered type of imaging test, but the order rate decreased over time, with a shift toward orders for ultrasound, CT and MRI, which all significantly increased. Eight selected problems accounted for one-third of all imaging orders. Imaging ordering behaviour suggests broad compliance with published guidelines in the management of osteoarthritis, shoulder problems, bursitis/tendonitis/synovitis, abdominal pain and other musculoskeletal injuries. Current ordering patterns for knee problems and some sprains/strains have potential for improvement. The ordering pattern for new presentations of back problems was inconsistent with all established guidelines for management of back problems.
This report highlights changes in general practice activity in Australia over the most recent decade (April 2004 to March 2014) of the BEACH program, a continuous national cross-sectional study of general practice activity. Over this time 9,731 general practitioners (GPs) provided details of 973,100 GP-patient encounters. The report highlights changes that have occurred over the decade in the characteristics of GPs and the patients they see, the problems managed, and the treatments provided. Changes in prevalence of overweight and obesity, smoking status and alcohol use are also described for subsamples of more than 30,000 adult patients each year. This report is a companion to the annual report, General practice activity in Australia 2012-13.
This book provides a summary of results from the 16th year of the BEACH program, a continuous national study of general practice activity in Australia. From April 2013 to March 2014, 959 general practitioners recorded details of 95,900 GP-patient encounters, at which patients presented 148,880 reasons for encounter and 151,675 problems were managed. For an 'average' 100 problems managed, GPs recorded: 65 medications (including 53 prescribed, seven supplied to the patient and six advised for over-the-counter purchase); 12 procedures; 24 clinical treatments (advice and counselling); six referrals to specialists and three to allied health services; orders for 31 pathology tests and seven imaging tests. A subsample study of more than 31,000 patients suggests prevalence of measured risk factors in the adult (18 years and over) population who attended general practice at least once in 2013-14 were: obesity-27%; overweight-35%; daily smoking-17%; at-risk alcohol consumption-26%. One in four people in the attending population had at least two of these risk factors. A companion publication, A decade of Australian general practice activity 2004-05 to 2013-14 is also available.
This book reports changes in GP ordering of imaging tests in Australia from 2002-03 to 2011-12, and evaluates alignment between guidelines and recent GP test ordering for selected problems. Over the decade, 9,802 GPs participated in BEACH, providing details of 980,200 GP-patient encounters. The likelihood of GPs ordering imaging in the management of a problem increased over time. In recent practice, at least one imaging test was ordered at 9% of encounters, at a rate of 10 imaging tests per 100 encounters. Diagnostic radiology was the most commonly ordered type of imaging test, but the order rate decreased over time, with a shift toward orders for ultrasound, CT and MRI, which all significantly increased. Eight selected problems accounted for one-third of all imaging orders. Imaging ordering behaviour suggests broad compliance with published guidelines in the management of osteoarthritis, shoulder problems, bursitis/tendonitis/synovitis, abdominal pain and other musculoskeletal injuries. Current ordering patterns for knee problems and some sprains/strains have potential for improvement. The ordering pattern for new presentations of back problems was inconsistent with all established guidelines for management of back problems.
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