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Can Patient Expectations Be Altered?

Richard A. Deyo, MD, MPH; Andrew K. Diehl, MD, MSc; Marc Rosenthal, DrPH

Arch Intern Med. 1987;147(1):141-145.

Abstract
• Many roentgenographic tests, including lumbar spine roentgenograms, may be overutilized. We examined the psychological, functional, and financial consequences of omitting spine films for patients with back pain with little risk of underlying systemic illness. Patients were randomized to receive immediate roentgenograms (n = 49) or a brief educational intervention, with roentgenography only for failure to improve (n = 52). After three weeks, 73% of the roentgenography group believed "everyone with back pain should have an x-ray," vs 44% of the education group. After three months, although 31% in the education group had received roentgenograms, overall radiology charges were still far less than those of the roentgenography group. No serious diagnoses were missed, and symptom resolution, functional improvement, and satisfaction were similar for the two groups. Thus, eliminating or delaying spine films need not cause anxiety, dissatisfaction, or dysfunction. This strategy may modify future expectations of roentgenography use and reduce health care costs.

(Arch Intern Med 1987;147:141-145)

Author Affiliations
From the Divisions of General Internal Medicine (Drs Deyo and Diehl) and Clinical Epidemiology (Dr Rosenthal), Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Dr Deyo is now with the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication May 21, 1986.

Read in part before the annual meeting of the Society for Research and Education in Primary Care Internal Medicine, Washington, DC, May 1, 1986.

The opinions, conclusions, and proposals in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Reprint requests to Health Systems Research and Development, Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108 (Dr Deyo).

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