Table 2.

Reasons for Primary Care Physicians’ Nonperformance of Complete Diagnostic Evaluation and Compatibility With Guidelines

Reasons by Categories	No. of Patients	%
Note: More than 1 reason could be cited for each patient.
^a All documented reasons were compatible with guidelines for 102 patients (83%): 1 reason for 98 patients and 2 reasons for 4 patients. At least 1 reason was compatible with guidelines for 21 patients (17%): 1 of 2 reasons for 14 patients and 1 of 3 reasons for 7 patients.
^b No documented reason was compatible with guidelines: 1 reason for 76 patients, 2 reasons for 17 patients, and 3 reasons for 1 patient.
^c One reason reported for 151 patients, and 2 reasons reported for 20 patients.
^d Reasons from both nonphysician factors and physician decision compatible with guidelines were reported for 17 patients. Reasons from both nonphysician factors and physician decision not compatible with guidelines were reported for 19 patients. Reasons from nonphysician factors and physician decisions both compatible and not compatible with the guidelines were reported for 5 patients.
Physician decision	217	33
Compatible with the guidelines^a	123	19
Not compatible with the guidelines^b	94	14
Nonphysician factors	212	32
Nonphysician factors only^c	171	26
Combined physician decision and nonphysician factors^d	41	6
No documented reasons	232	35
Total	661	100