Research article: Test utilization for Distal Peripheral Neuropathy in Geriatric Medicine

 

Koy Kubala, Julie Soder, Erin Hommel, Eddie Salazar

 

Abstract

Background: Continuing medical education (CME) serves an important purpose in today’s healthcare; especially when its dealing with laboratory medicine. CME’s have demonstrated improvement in provider knowledge; however, more research is needed to observe improvement in practice. The evaluation of utilizing recommended tests by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) for Distal Symmetric Polyneuropathy (DSP) could be improved within Geriatric Medicine by utilizing a continuing medical education intervention.

Methods: A mixed methods research design was used to measure the pre and post intervention time frames of the geriatricians’ appropriate test utilization and their AAN recommended high yield test order utilization for polyneuropathy. A group of 11 geriatricians participated in this study by attending a synchronous, one-time, virtual CME presentation presented by a Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Scientist student. The patient encounters utilized in the study were, patients > 18 years of age with either an ICD-10 G60.3 or a G60.9 diagnosis code.

Results: The pre and post survey comparison findings indicated most geriatricians were aware of the AAN recommended guidelines and high-yield tests, but still struggled to recall and document all recommended high-yield tests. However, when comparing the geriatricians appropriate test utilization and their high-yield test utilization, a statistical significance was found for this cohort.

Conclusion: This study suggests a continuing medicine education intervention not only can provide knowledge, but can also produce significant appropriate and high-yield test utilization from within a specialized medical department.

 

Keywords: American Academy of Neurology, Continuing Medical Education, Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Distal Peripheral Neuropathy, Neuropathy

Int. J. Bio. Lab. Sci 2024(13)2:81-90 【PDF】


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