Do non-targeted gastric biopsies affect the management of patients, and can a simple protocol and education reduce the rate?

Objective: To determine whether development of localised protocol could reduce the number of non-targeted gastric biopsies taken at endoscopy, without risking harm from non-detection of malignant conditions.

Design: Retrospective analysis of patient records over a 3-month period in 2013, repeated in 2015 following intervention.

Setting: Two UK teaching hospitals.