Reduction of urea test ordering in the emergency department: multicomponent intervention including education, electronic ordering, and data feedback

Methodology: 2.5/5
Usefulness: 2/5

Mathura P, et al. CJEM. 2022 Sep;24(6):636-640.

Editorial: When evidence-based medicine and quality improvement collide.

Question and Methods: Can we decrease physician ordering of the BUN (blood urea nitrogen) test, using an evidence-based multicomponent quality improvement intervention?
Findings: Monthly average BUN ordering declined from 1905 to 448, and BUN test to Emergency Department visit proportion reduced from 0.46 to 0.1.
Limitations: Unclear which facet of the three interventions helped most. Benefits/drawbacks of BUN bloodwork not clearly delineated. Covid pandemic led to baseline heteroskedasticity.

Interpretation: The study reported a significant reduction in emergency department BUN ordering using a multifaceted approach of education, order set changes and audit feedbacks.

Dr. Ellias Horner

JC Supervisor: Dr. Venkatesh Thiruganasambandamoorthy

Authors

Elias Horner

View all posts
Hans Rosenberg

Dr. Rosenberg is an emergency physician at the Ottawa Hospital, associate professor at the University of Ottawa, and Director of the Digital Scholarship and Knowledge Dissemination Program.

View all posts
Venkatesh Thiruganasambandamoorthy

Dr. Venkatesh Thiruganasambandamoorthy is an attending physician and associate scientist at the Ottawa Hospital and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute with an particular interest in syncope and presyncope care.

View all posts