Skills of primary healthcare physicians in paediatric cardiac auscultation

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica Vol. 102; no. 2; pp. e74 - e78
• Main Authors: Germanakis, Ioannis, Petridou, Eleni Th, Varlamis, George, Matsoukis, Ioannis L, Papadopoulou-Legbelou, Kiriaki, Kalmanti, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norway Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-02-2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Clinical Competence; Computer-Assisted Instruction; Digital phonocardiography; Education, Medical, Continuing - methods; Female; General Practitioners - education; Greece; Heart Auscultation; Heart Murmurs - diagnosis; Humans; Male; Multimedia; Multimedia-based teaching; Murmur; Paediatric cardiac auscultation; Pediatrics - education; Primary Health Care; Primary healthcare physicians; Greece
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/apa.12062

Aim
To evaluate the performance of primary healthcare physicians in paediatric cardiac auscultation and the impact of a multimedia‐based teaching intervention.
Methods
A total of 106 primary healthcare physicians (77 paediatricians, 14 general practitioners and 15 medical graduates) attended four paediatric cardiac auscultation teaching courses based on virtual patients' presentation (digital phonocardiography). Their auscultatory performance was documented at the beginning of each course and at the end of two of the courses.
Results
Participants initially detected 73% of abnormal murmurs and 17% of additional sounds, while 22% of innocent murmurs were interpreted as abnormal. Overall cardiac auscultation performance, assessed by a combined auscultation score, was low and independent of training level (graduates: 39.5/trainees: 42.8/board certified: 42.6, p = 0.89) or specialty (paediatricians: 42.7/general practitioners: 43.1, p = 0.89). Multimedia‐based teaching was associated with a significant improvement in abnormal murmur (92.5%) and additional sound (40%) detection (p < 0.001), while 25% of innocent murmurs were still interpreted as abnormal (p = 0.127).
Conclusion
Clinical skills of primary healthcare physicians in paediatric cardiac auscultation, independent of training level or specialty, still leave potential for improvement. Multimedia‐based teaching interventions represent an effective means of improving paediatric cardiac auscultatory skills.