In particular, the source data include hospital records, clinical and office visit charts, and pharmacy dispensing records.
After being audited to ensure adherence to the protocol, completed visit charts will have initials removed, and again stored in locked filing cabinets accessible only to study personnel.
However, surgeons and nurse practitionersdisagreed as to the optimal time period to use the CARAT tool: upon referral to vascular services (3 of 8 supporting), at time of testing (3 of 8), during the pre-visit chart review (2 of 8), or when discussing treatment options (2 of 8).
In most centers visited, charts were available but for the subjects who were observed, no charts were used.
"Outcome of Visit," the chart said.
"Object of Visit," the chart declared.
For rural visits, a generic community visit flow chart served as check list for staff organizing a visit see Figure 2.
The time to index therapy change was analyzed at month 6 (180 days) and at the end of the observation period (i.e. last visit in chart).
Standard questions used in the clinic at the time of physician visit, plus chart information were used to gather information on patients' gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital/partner status, employment status, religious participation and affiliation, disease and treatment history, and co-morbidities.
