Abstract 15576: Implementation of a Knowledge Translation and Education Tool to Improve Appropriate Use of Stress Echocardiography at a Large Academic Medical Center in a Public Funded Healthcare System

Introduction: Previous retrospective studies have suggested that Appropriate Use of Stress Echocardiograms (SE) is sub-optimal, but there have not been effective interventions developed to improve appropriate use of SE. Methods: We conducted a prospective, pre (Jul 1 - Oct 15 2013) and post (Mar 1-May 31 2014) time series analysis of an educational intervention that included the development and implementation of a new ordering requisition that integrated Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for SE within it. Results: During the control period, 221 consecutive were evaluated using the 2011 AUC and 98% were classifiable. Overall the inappropriate rate of classifiable studies was 32%, while the appropriate rate was 64% and uncertain rate 4%. During the intervention period, 156 studies were evaluated and 98% were classifiable. Implementation of the KT tool and educational intervention resulted in an increase in the appropriateness rate to 76% (p=0.016) and a reduction in the inappropriate rate to 19% (p=0.003) of a...