Promoting Patient-Centered Counseling to Reduce Inappropriate Diagnostic Tests

Promoting Patient-Centered Counseling to Reduce Inappropriate Diagnostic Tests: Randomized Clinical Trial

In this study, the investigators will develop and evaluate a novel intervention using standardized patients (SPs) -- or actors playing the roles of patients -- to enhance physicians' patient-centered counseling skills regarding two frequently overused, potentially inappropriate services in primary care: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for acute low back pain and bone densitometry in women at low-risk for osteoporosis. The investigators will further evaluate whether intervention effects on physician patient-centeredness generalize to counseling regarding other costly, unnecessary diagnostic tests.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Resident physician in family medicine or internal medicine who deliver primary care at one of two hospital-based primary care clinics at the University of California, Davis Medical Center Sacramento

Exclusion Criteria:

• Anticipated graduation in less than one year from enrollment.