What are the effects of printed educational materials on professional practice and healthcare outcomes?

Abstract

Printed educational materials (PEMs), including clinical guidelines, monographs and publications in peer-reviewed journals, are common channels to distribute recommendations for clinical care and evidence to inform the practice of healthcare providers. PEMs are used across a range of settings as a strategy to improve professional practice and healthcare outcomes through promoting clinical practices that have been shown to be beneficial and discouraging the use of ineffective interventions. The wide use of PEMs in many settings, particularly in the form of clinical guidelines, is linked to the fact that they are seen as familiar, accessible, relatively inexpensive and convenient.