Electronic Health Record Alert Tool for Primary Hyperparathyroidism Diagnosis

The tool substantially increased parathyroid hormone testing and, in turn, diagnoses of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Evidence suggests that primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is underdiagnosed and undertreated. In this U.S. single-center cohort study, researchers evaluated the effects of an electronic health record (EHR)–based algorithm that identified 395 outpatients with two instances of hypercalcemia (i.e., calcium level >10.4 mg/dL) in 6 months and no serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) test in the following year. Clinicians were alerted to measure these patients' blood PTH level to confirm a diagnosis of PHPT. The algorithm excluded patients with secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism and non-parathyroid causes of hypercalcemia.

Before the study period, only 7% of patients who would have met alert criteria had PTH testing ordered. During 16 months of …

Reviewing Author

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Electronic Health Record Alert Tool for Primary Hyperparathyroidism Diagnosis

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Reviewing Author