Impact on Pathology Practice of the
Manual of Use and Interpretation of Pathology Tests
Survey Questionnaire for General Practitioners
The questionnaire seeks feedback on the Manual from your perspective with most questions
being multi-choice with scope for entering any other comments. We emphasise that your
replies will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We have included a questionnaire
number above purely to enable us to attach your demographic characteristics (age, gender, state
of practice and VR status) to avoid asking these questions. We thank you for completing this
questionnaire.
A reply paid envelope is included for return of your questionnaire and we would
appreciate its return by Wednesday 15th July 2001. Completed questionnaires may also
be faxed on (08) 8150 5599, or mailed to :
Project Director
Pathology Manual Evaluation
Healthcare Management Advisors
Reply Paid 10086
ADELAIDE BC SA 5000
Part 1
Your Characteristics
This first part records characteristics about you and will enable analysis of the survey results
across different demographic groups and practice types.
Q1
In what practice setting(s) do you typically provide medical services and what proportion
of time is spent in each? (Tick all appropriate settings)
% of time

2 - 5 GPs in Practice

6 or more GPs in Practice

Public Hospital

Private Hospital

Nursing Home

Community Health Centre

Locum

Other (Please Specify________________) 
Sole GP Practice
Q2
What was your predominant practice setting in 1997? (Tick one)
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Public Hospital 
Private Hospital 
Not in Practice 
General Practice
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Q3
What is the typical total hours you spend per week providing medical
services across all practice settings?
Q4
Is your practice computerised?

No 
Yes
Q5
How do you receive pathology results at your practice?(more than one choice may be
appropriate) Also indicate the form that you predominantly use to store a permanent
record of the results (indicate only one of these in the second column).
Hard copy via mail
Hard copy via courier
Facsimile
Computer download/email
Download into patient management system
Part 2
Used
Permanent
Record
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Awareness and Dissemination of Manual
This part seeks to understand your awareness of the Manual and from where you obtained it.
Q6
Were you aware of the Manual prior to receiving this questionnaire? (Tick one)

No 
Yes
If no go to Question 11
Q7
Royal College of Pathologists1
Did you receive the Manual in 1997 from … ?
(Note: The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia was
responsible for distributing the manual in 1997. If you
received the Manual in the post around then, it was
most likely sent by the College)
Colleague or Medical practice2
Lecturer/Education institution3
Professional College4
Self purchased5
Don’t Recall6
Didn’t Receive in 19977
Other (Please Specify _______________)8
Q8
If you did not receive the Manual in 1997, approximately what year
did you get the Manual?
Q9
Do you still have a Manual easily accessible in your practice? (Tick one)

No 
Yes
If no go to Question 11
Q10 In what form is the Manual? (Tick one)

Electronic/Computer based

Other (Please Specify ______________)
Book
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Part 3
3
Use and Impact of the Manual
We are now seeking to understand how the Manual has influenced your pathology ordering.
Please complete this section even if you were not previously aware of the Manual.
Q11 How many patients do you see in a typical week? (Tick one) Under 50
(Note: a reasonable estimate only)
50 – 75
75 – 100
100 – 125
125 – 150
Over 150
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Q12 About how many pathology request forms do you complete each week?
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Yes 
Q13 Do you, or have you, ever consulted the Manual? (Tick one)
No 
If no go to Question 21
Q14 When ordering pathology tests, what are the factors that influence whether or not you use
the Manual? (Tick all appropriate responses)
Not current
1

Wrong medium

Have better sources

Not easily accessible

Was not aware of Manual

Information is relevant

Good format

Right medium

Best source available

Readily accessible

Other (Please Specify ________________) 
Poor format
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Q15 When was the last time you consulted the Manual? (Tick one)
This week
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Within the last month
1-6 months ago
6-12 months ago
More than 12 months ago
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Q16 Over the last twelve months when ordering pathology tests, how often have you consulted
the Manual? (Tick one)
Very often (daily)
1
Often (weekly)
Sometimes (monthly)
Rarely (about once in each 3 month period)
Very rarely (once or twice in last 12 months)
Never
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Q17 For the pathology tests you have ordered over the last twelve months, how often did the
Manual impact on your intended test profile? (Tick one)
All of the time (100%)
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Most of the time (50-99%)
Some of the time (25-49%)
Occasionally (10-24%)
Very little (1-9%)
None/Never used Manual
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Q18 For those pathology requests where you consult the Manual, how would you describe the
influence of the Manual? (Circle the appropriate frequency for each response)
Guidance on test profile and frequency
Provided better understanding of tests
Resulted in different tests
Helped in interpretation of results
Used as a general reference
Did not provide information needed
Other (Please Specify _______________)
Very Often
Often
Occasionally
Never
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Q19 How has using the Manual changed the volume of your requests? (Tick one)
Decreased

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Increased
No Change
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Q20 When you used the Manual, did it result in …? (Circle the number under the appropriate
frequency)
Very Often
Often
Occasionally
Never
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Better interpretation of results
Improved accuracy of diagnosis
Improved use of time and resources
More efficient communication with patients
Reduced need for referral to specialist
Did not provide information needed
Other (Please Specify _______________)
Q21 What other sources of information do you use to inform pathology ordering? (Circle the
number under the appropriate frequency)
Very Often
Colleagues
Books/Journals
Fact Sheets/Guidelines/Software
Internet
Commercial/Industry(eg pharmaceutical company)
Pathology Providers
Other (Please Specify ___________________)
Part 4
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Often
Occasionally
Never
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Future Directions
This part seeks your views on how the Manual should be developed in the future to assist you.
Q22 Which of the following do you have access to in your consulting rooms? (Tick all
appropriate responses)
Computer with CD-ROM
Local Area Network
Internet
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
Q23 What do you think is the most appropriate form for the Manual to take? (Tick one)
Audio

Electronic (CD-ROM, other software)

Hard Copy

Integrated with Patient Management System

Internet

Video

Manual should not be produced

Other (Please Specify ___________________) 
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Q24 What information sources do you need or would like to assist with your pathology
ordering? (More than one response may apply, tick all appropriate responses)

Access to peers

Existing Manual
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None

Other (Please Specify ___________________) 
Access to pathology provider
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Q25 Would it be useful to have pathology ordering information and results interpretation
incorporated into the pathology reports and/or your practice management software?
(ie reference to relevant components of the manual)
Pathology
Results
Yes
No
Don’t Know



Practice
Management
Software



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Q26 If you answered yes to Question 25, would you like …? (Circle the number under the
appropriate frequency)
Guidance with tests based on signs & symptoms
Guidance based on medication patient is receiving
Guidance on ordering supplementary tests
Guidance on further tests that may not be useful
Very Useful
Useful
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May Use Won’t Use
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Q27 Please provide any other comments you may have on the Manual or the resources that
you would like to assist in your pathology ordering.
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Q28 Please provide an estimate of the time taken to complete this
questionnaire
hrs
mins
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Part 5
Future Workshops & Respondent Details
You may remove this page from the questionnaire and place it in the separate (smaller)
envelope. Include the smaller envelope and the questionnaire in the reply paid envelope.
This section of the questionnaire will not be linked in any way with your responses.
Are you willing to participate in a workshop to further explore the future role for the Manual, or
other resources, oriented to informing pathology ordering? (Tick one)
Yes 
No 
If yes, what is your preferred timeframe? (Tick one)
Before 10.00am

Lunch Time

Afternoon

5.00pm

After 7.00pm

Other (Please Specify) ___________________ 
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Your Telephone Contact Number
____________________________________
Name of Respondent
____________________________________
Address
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Thank you for your assistance. Please return your questionnaire by Wednesday 15 th July 2001 in the
enclosed Reply Paid envelope. Completed questionnaires may also be faxed on (08) 8150 5599, or mailed
to :
Project Director
Pathology Manual Evaluation
Healthcare Management Advisors
Reply Paid 10086
ADELAIDE BC SA 5000
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