Clinical decision-making following abnormal Papanicolaou smear reports.

Objective: Interpretation of abnormal Papanicolaou smear reports and the subsequent management of the patient frequently present significant decision-making problems for clinicians. The purpose of this study was to evaluate family physician clinical decision-making strategies for abnormal cervical cytology reports using simulation techniques.

Methods: One hundred fifteen practicing family physicians evaluated two simulations of women with abnormal cervical cytology, the first with inflammatory cytology and the second with a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.

Results: Most physicians (66%) selected an etiology evaluation and specific treatment approach to an inflammatory report, while 26% of respondents chose empiric treatment. For the high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion simulation, 88% of physicians chose the appropriate management response of colposcopic evaluation.

Conclusions: Practice experience, level of involvement, clinician gender, and type of cervical cytology classification influenced family physician clinical decision-making. The majority of responses to an inflammatory or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion report was appropriate based on current scientific data.