Interexaminer agreement on palpatory diagnosis and patient self-assessment of disability: a pilot study

J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1995 Feb;95(2):97-100, 103-6.

Abstract

To evaluate interexaminer agreement on palpatory diagnostic findings, we compared interexaminer results, patient disability self-evaluations, and assessment of patients' progress by referring physicians. Three examiners (two clinicians and a third-year osteopathic medical student fellow) monitored patients' progress using negotiated examination procedures. The patients were examined independently by each examiner at each of eight weekly visits. Patients completed a disability assessment form at each visit, and the referring physicians recorded changes in their patients' condition. The patients' disability self-rating and examiner test results did not show clear correlation. There was a 62.2% agreement between the two physician examiners when the general descriptors "improvement," "no change," or "aggravation" were used. The student examiner's agreement with the clinician examiners was 60.2% and 51.8%. Interexaminer agreement of findings from osteopathic testing procedures appears to depend on general clinical experience and specific experience with the testing procedures.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Disability Evaluation*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Observer Variation*
  • Osteopathic Medicine
  • Palpation*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Self-Assessment*
  • Students, Medical