Abstract
The present supplement summarizes the proceedings of the symposium "Implementing practice guidelines: A workshop on guidelines dissemination and implementation with a focus on asthma and COPD", which took place in Quebec City, Quebec, from April 14 to 16, 2005. This international symposium was a joint initiative of the Laval University Office of Continuing Medical Education (Bureau de la Formation Médicale Continue), the Canadian Thoracic Society and the Canadian Network for Asthma Care, and was supported by many other organizations and by industrial partners. The objectives of this meeting were to examine the optimal implementation of practice guidelines, review current initiatives for the implementation of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) guidelines in Canada and in the rest of the world, and develop an optimal strategy for future guideline implementation. An impressive group of scientists, physicians and other health care providers, as well as policy makers and representatives of patients' associations, the pharmaceutical industry, research and health networks, and communications specialists, conveyed their perspectives on how to achieve these goals. This important event provided a unique opportunity for all participants to discuss key issues in improving the care of patients with asthma and COPD. These two diseases are responsible for an enormous human and socioeconomic burden around the world. Many reports have indicated that current evidence-based guidelines are underused by physicians and others, and that there are many barriers to an effective translation of recommendations into day-to-day care. There is therefore a need to develop more effective ways to communicate key information to both caregivers and patients, and to promote appropriate health behaviours. This symposium contributed to the initiation of what could become the "Canadian Asthma and COPD Campaign", aimed at improving care and, hence, the quality of life of those suffering from these diseases. It is hoped that this event will be followed by other meetings that focus on how to improve the transfer of key recommendations from evidence-based guidelines into current care, and how to stimulate research to accomplish this.
Highlights
The set of guideline implementation measures undertaken by the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) may serve as a model for other associations and individuals seeking to enhance the impact of clinical guidelines on daily practice
Even with increased awareness of the challenges of asthma management and the implementation of better standards of care, it will likely take more than 10 years to have a real impact on the key epidemiological markers of morbidity
Implementation of the national and global asthma prevention and management guidelines that have led to earlier detection and improved treatment of asthmatics, is considered to be involved in this apparent change for the better”
Summary
Even with increased awareness of the challenges of asthma management and the implementation of better standards of care, it will likely take more than 10 years to have a real impact on the key epidemiological markers of morbidity. This working group was created because of the belief that despite publication of guidelines, there was a failure to use them This was demonstrated by the Asthma in Canada study showing that the previous guidelines, published in 1996 [2] – for which there had been no activities surrounding dissemination – had not significantly affected clinical practice. To enhance awareness of the new guidelines, Canada’s medical media were contacted and provided with a press release This led to the guidelines being used or mentioned in over 38 different journals, periodicals and bulletins directed at health care professionals, including family physicians, nurses, pharmacists and others. Nongovernmental agencies, including the Allergy/Asthma Information Association, the Asthma Society of Canada, the Canadian Network for Asthma Care and lung associations, tried to increase the awareness of the guidelines among their constituencies through their regular communications
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