| Test; specialty; measure | 2009/10 to 2011/12 (baseline) | 2012/13 | % change from baseline | 2013/14 | % change from previous year | 2014/15 | % change from previous year | % change from baseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumbar spine radiography | ||||||||
| Family physician | ||||||||
| No. of tests per year, mean | 342 949 | 244 352 | -28.7 | 271 439 | 11.1 | 275 082 | 1.3 | -19.8 |
| No. of tests per physician per year, mean (range) | 31.4 (1-628) | 21.4 (1-421) | -31.8 | 23.1 (1-481) | 7.9 | 23.7 (1-418) | 2.6 | -24.5 |
| No. of physicians who ordered test* | 10 924 | 11 426 | 4.6 | 11 755 | 2.9 | 11 626 | -1.1 | 6.4 |
| Specialist | ||||||||
| No. of tests per year, mean | 62 251 | 58 540 | -6.0 | 61 927 | 5.8 | 62 049 | 0.2 | -0.3 |
| No. of tests per physician per year, mean (range) | 12.6 (1-1049) | 12.1 (1-980) | -4.0 | 12.4 (1-938) | 2.5 | 12.5 (1-937) | 0.8 | -0.8 |
| No. of physicians who ordered test* | 4956 | 4850 | -2.1 | 4977 | 2.6 | 4949 | -0.6 | -0.1 |
| Single-segment spine MRI | ||||||||
| Family physician | ||||||||
| No. of tests per year, mean | 90 890 | 91 640 | 0.8 | 103 369 | 12.8 | 105 155 | 1.7 | 15.7 |
| No. of tests per physician per year, mean (range) | 9.9 (1-308) | 9.4 (1-186) | -5.0 | 10.2 (1-204) | 8.5 | 10.3 (1-172) | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| No. of physicians who ordered test* | 9116 | 9774 | 7.2 | 10 181 | 4.2 | 10 250 | 0.7 | 12.4 |
| Specialist | ||||||||
| No. of tests per year, mean | 43 574 | 43 738 | 0.4 | 47 225 | 8.0 | 48 072 | 1.8 | 10.3 |
| No. of tests per physician per year, mean (range) | 11.8 (1-1093) | 10.8 (1-926) | -8.5 | 11.2 (1-1029) | 3.7 | 11.4 (1-901) | 1.8 | -3.4 |
| No. of physicians who ordered test* | 3702 | 4040 | 9.1 | 4204 | 4.0 | 4223 | 0.4 | 14.1 |
| Spine CT | ||||||||
| Family physician | ||||||||
| No. of tests per year, mean | 60 966 | 43 467 | -28.7 | 46 975 | 8.1 | 45 047 | -4.1 | -26.1 |
| No. of tests per physician per year, mean (range) | 7.9 (1-190) | 6.1 (1-138) | -22.8 | 6.4 (1-213) | 4.9 | 6.3 (1-158) | -1.6 | -20.2 |
| No. of physicians who ordered test* | 7728 | 7147 | -7.5 | 7370 | 3.1 | 7147 | -3.0 | -7.5 |
| Specialist | ||||||||
| No. of tests per year, mean | 20 319 | 18 472 | -9.1 | 20 900 | 13.1 | 20 866 | -0.2 | 2.7 |
| No. of tests per physician per year, mean (range) | 6.3 (1-248) | 5.8 (1-277) | -7.9 | 6.3 (1-334) | 8.6 | 6.5 (1-336) | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| No. of physicians who ordered test* | 3229 | 3179 | -1.5 | 3292 | 3.6 | 3212 | -2.4 | -0.5 |
Note: CT = computed tomography, MRI = magnetic resonance imaging.
*Number of physicians who ordered at least 1 test during the calendar year. This was used as the denominator when calculating rates.