Osteopathic physicians in the United States: antibiotic prescribing practices for patients with nonspecific upper respiratory tract infections.

Objective: To assess factors related to prescribing antibiotics for nonspecific upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) by office-based osteopathic physicians.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of physician office visits by patients with URTIs, using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey database for a 5-year period. Antibiotic prescribing was analyzed based on patient and physician characteristics.

Musculoskeletal disorders: does the osteopathic medical profession demonstrate its unique and distinctive characteristics?

The authors used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 1999 Summary to compare the practice patterns of osteopathic and allopathic physicians in the management of musculoskeletal disorders in family practice settings. Patient and physician characteristics, diagnostic test ordering patterns, treatments, and amount of time spent with patients during visits were compared. Patients who visited osteopathic physicians were more likely to be middle-aged and referred, with injury-related visits that were self-paid.