Table 2 Laboratory tests (total and avoidable) adjusted/patient/day in hospital, for the patients analysed before the intervention (March–August 2003).
| Sex | Age (years) | Hospitalisation (days) | Diagnosis | Trainee's eexperience | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All patients (n = 426) | Male (n = 214) | Female (n = 212) | <65 (n = 138) | ⩾65 (n = 288) | ⩽7 days (225) | >7 days (n = 201) | Diagnosed on discharge (n = 385) | Died or undiagnosed (n = 41) | Junior (n = 230) | Senior (n = 196) | ||
| Mean | Total tests/patient/day | 2.96 | 2.99 | 2.92 | 2.27 | 3.28* | 2.22 | 3.79* | 2.72 | 5.21* | 2.69 | 3.27** |
| Avoidable tests/patient/day | 2.01 | 2.03 | 1.99 | 1.56 | 2.23* | 1.49 | 2.60* | 1.91 | 2.94* | 1.86 | 2.20 | |
*p<0.005; **p = 0.045.
The number of patients within each group are in parentheses.