Evaluation of a Knee and Shoulder Arthrocentesis Training Program for Primary Care Providers

Excerpt

To the Editor:

Referrals to rheumatologists for rather routine knee and shoulder arthrocenteses are common. Such referrals might be decreased if primary care providers (PCP) were more comfortable doing these procedures. Residents in internal medicine and family practice do have opportunities for procedures during their training but the few reports evaluating the effect of any such training suggest that physicians do not feel confident after residency^1,2.

A few evaluations on the influence of arthrocentesis training for residents and hospital staff have suggested that at least in the short term increased confidence was achieved^3–5. We describe the effects of a…