Electrodiagnostic reporting preferences of referring physicians: An exploratory survey.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies play a crucial role in the evaluation of patients with peripheral nervous system disorders. Accurate and succinct communication of test results is critical to patient safety and clinical decision-making. The objective of this study was to explore EDX reporting preferences of referring physicians to improve quality of communication and patient care. METHODS: An online survey was developed, and a purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit physicians in the authors' professional networks. Quantitative and qualitative survey data underwent frequency and thematic analyses, respectively. RESULTS: There were 40 respondents, including: 21 non-surgical specialists, 12 surgical specialists, and 7 family physicians. Sections rated as most critical were diagnostic impression (97%) and summary/interpretation (72%). Only 18% reported numeric data as critical to their needs, preferring this data to be formatted as bullet points or tables without nerve conduction study waveforms. Regarding the format of the data summary and diagnostic impression sections, the majority of respondents preferred bullet points rather than paragraphs. DISCUSSION: The results of this exploratory survey suggest that physicians who refer patients for EDX studies prefer reports that emphasize the interpretation of EDX data and a clear diagnostic impression, particularly in bullet point format. This project highlights important preferences and how they compare to recommended reporting guidelines, which may help improve communication and ultimately patient care. Future efforts should explore larger sample sizes with all key stakeholders in the EDX process to better understand reporting styles and preferences with greater nuance and context.

Older Adults' Motivations for Participating in a "Tune-Up" of Their Driving Skills: A Multi-Stakeholder Analysis.

Driver training has the potential to keep older adults safe behind-the-wheel for longer, yet there is limited evidence describing factors that influence their willingness to participate in training. Focus groups with community-dwelling older drivers (n = 23; 70-90 years) and semi-structured interviews with driving instructors (n = 6) and occupational therapists (n = 5) were conducted to identify these factors. Qualitative descriptive analyses highlighted how self-awareness of behind-the-wheel abilities in later life can influence an older adult's motivation to participate in driver training, as well as their willingness to discuss their behaviors. Collision-involvement and near-misses prompted participants to reflect on their driving abilities and their openness to feedback. Participants' preferences for learning contexts that use a strengths-based approach and validate the driving experience of older drivers, while providing feedback on behind-the-wheel performance, were raised. Older driver training initiatives that consider the needs of the aging population in their design can promote road safety and community mobility.