Table 1.
Number, proportion, and direction of changes in physicians’ diagnostic opinions across the case presentation as a function of experience level (N=256 primary care physicians practicing in North or South Carolina in 2007/2008).
| Experience level |
Initial impression* |
Final diagnosis same as initial impression |
Final diagnosis changed to CHD after mid-point of case |
Final diagnosis changed to non- CHD diagnosis after mid-point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less experienced (N=128) | CHD (N=70) | 48 (68.6%) | 22 (31.4%) | |
| Not CHD (N=58) | 23 (39.7%) | 21 (36.2%) | 14 (24.1%) | |
| More experienced (N=128) | CHD (N=84) | 72 (85.7%) | 12 (14.3%) | |
| Not CHD (N=44) | 19 (43.2%) | 14 (31.8%) | 11 (25.0%) |
The initial impression corresponds to the diagnosis given at the mid-point of the case presentation at which time the video was stopped and participants were asked to provide their primary diagnosis, rate their certainty in that diagnosis, and indicate the most important piece of additional information they would like to receive. After that point the video was played to completion. Reading across rows indicates how many participants in each experience group indicated CHD (or not) as their initial impression and how many of those retained their initial impression or changed their diagnosis during the second half of the case presentation.