NCT06993805

Evaluating a Our Practice Advisory (OPA) to Optimize Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test Orders

Evaluation of Our Practice Advisory (OPA) Interventions on Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Short Interval Ordering

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 384 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Our Practice Advisory (OPA) are essential tools in clinical decision-making. The alerts are designed to guide providers towards evidence-based practices and improve patient outcomes. The focus of this initiative is on Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) testing, with the goal of addressing unnecessary repeat testing within a 30-day timeframe, which rarely yields significant new insights. Although randomization occurs at the patient level, the primary outcome of this study focuses on provider behavior and decision-making. By focusing on this specific intervention, the study aims to optimize resource use, align test ordering with evidence-based guidelines, and support improved patient outcomes. The results of this evaluation will help refine OPAs and guide broader strategies for implementing clinical decision support tools across healthcare systems.

Detailed description

The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) initiative is to evaluate the impact of a randomized Our Practice Advisory (OPA) intervention on physician ordering behavior of Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) tests within a 30-day interval from the prior test. The OPA will fire when an A1c or TSH are ordered within 30 days of a prior result (these short-interval tests are widely considered unnecessary) and will ask providers to reconsider the order. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention by randomizing patients 1:1 such that physicians caring for the patient will either (1) receive the OPA or (2) not receive the OPA if the providers order a short-interval test. This study is being conducted for a primary QI intent, as the results will (1) dictate if the short-interval OPA should be implemented across all patients, and (2) if this short-interval OPA should be applied to other labs aside from A1c and TSH. In these ways, the purpose of this study is to directly inform health system operations.

Conditions

• Physician Workflow
• Resource Utilization

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	OPA	The Our Practice Advisory (OPA) intervention is a behavioral nudge integrated into the electronic health record system. It is designed to prompt providers to reconsider ordering Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) tests if a similar test was performed within the previous 30 days. The OPA aligns with evidence-based guidelines to reduce unnecessary testing, improve resource utilization, and optimize patient care by enhancing clinical decision-making at the point of order entry.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-06
• Primary completion: 2025-12-01
• Completion: 2026-02-01
• First posted: 2025-05-29
• Last updated: 2025-05-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States