Impact of end user involvement in implementing guidelines on routine pre-operative tests.

Objectives: To assess the impact of health professionals' involvement in the implementation of practice guidelines aimed at reducing the use of pre-operative tests in patients at low anaesthetic risk undergoing elective surgery.

Intervention: A 6 month (September 1997 to February 1998) strategy based upon organization of local meetings involving health professionals from six hospitals of Canton Ticino (Switzerland).

Design: Observational study (pre/post) of pre-operative test utilization between March 1996 and December 1998.