Decision-making In Primary Care Research Articles

Improving the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder in older adults: study protocol for I-COPE study

BackgroundOlder adults with chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder (OUD) present complex management decisions in primary care. Clinical tools are needed to improve care delivery. This study protocol describes the planned implementation and evaluation of I-COPE (Improving Chicago Older Adult Opioid and Pain Management through Patient-centered Clinical Decision Support and Project ECHO®) to improve care for this population.MethodsThis study uses a pragmatic, expanding cohort stepped-wedge design to assess the outcomes. The study will be implemented in 35 clinical sites across metropolitan Chicago for patients aged ≥ 65 with chronic pain, opioid use, or OUD who receive primary care at one of the clinics. I-COPE includes the integration of patient-reported data on symptoms and preferences, clinical decision support tools, and a shared decision-making tool into routine primary care for more effective management of chronic pain, opioid prescribing, and OUD in older adults. Primary care providers will be trained through web-based videos and an optional Project ECHO® course, entitled “Pain Management and OUD in Older Adults.” The RE-AIM framework will be used to assess the I-COPE implementation. Effectiveness outcomes will include an increased variety of recommended pain treatments, decreased prescriptions of higher-risk pain treatments, and decreased patient pain scores. All outcomes will be evaluated 6 and 12 months after implementation. PCPs participating in Project ECHO® will be evaluated on changes in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy using pre- and post-course surveys.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence about the effectiveness of collecting patient-reported data on symptoms and treatment preferences and providing clinical decision support and shared decision-making tools to improve management for older adults with chronic pain, opioid use, and OUD.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04878562.

Safer prescription of drugs: impact of the PREFASEG system to aid clinical decision-making in primary care in Catalonia

BackgroundIn 2008, the Institut Català de la Salut (ICS, Catalan Health Institute) implemented a prescription decision support system in its electronic clinical workstation (ECW), which automatically generates online alerts for general practitioners when a possible medication-related problem (MRP) is detected. This tool is known as PREFASEG, and at the time of beginning a new treatment, it automatically assesses the suitability of the treatment for the individual patient. This analysis is based on ongoing treatments, demographic characteristics, existing pathologies, and patient biochemical variables. As a result of the assessment, therapeutic recommendations are provided. The objective of this study is to present the PREFASEG tool, analyse the main alerts that it generates, and determine the degree of alert acceptance.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to analyse the generation of MRP-related alerts detected by PREFASEG during 2016, 2017, and 2018 in primary care (PC) in Catalonia. The number of MRP alerts generated, the drugs involved, and the acceptance/rejection of the alerts were analysed. An alert was considered "accepted" when the medication that generated the alert was not prescribed, thereby following the recommendation given by the tool. The MRP alerts studied were therapeutic duplications, safety alerts issued by the Spanish Medicines Agency, and drugs not recommended for use in geriatrics. The prescriptions issued by 6411 ICS PC physicians who use the ECW and provide their services to 5.8 million Catalans through 288 PC teams were analysed.ResultsDuring the 3 years examined, 67.2 million new prescriptions were analysed, for which PREFASEG generated 4,379,866 alerts (1 for every 15 new treatments). A total of 1,222,159 alerts (28%) were accepted. Pharmacological interactions and therapeutic duplications were the most detected alerts, representing 40 and 30% of the total alerts, respectively. The main pharmacological groups involved in the safety alerts were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors.ConclusionsDuring the period analysed, 28% of the prescriptions wherein a toxicity-related PREFASEG alert was generated led to treatment modification, thereby helping to prevent the generation of potential safety MRPs. However, the tool should be further improved to increase alert acceptance and thereby improve patient safety.

Clinical prediction of laboratory-confirmed influenza in adults with influenza-like illness in primary care. A randomized controlled trial secondary analysis in 15 European countries.

Clinical findings do not accurately predict laboratory diagnosis of influenza. Early identification of influenza is considered useful for proper management decisions in primary care. We evaluated the diagnostic value of the presence and the severity of symptoms for the diagnosis of laboratory-confirmed influenza infection among adults presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) in primary care. Secondary analysis of patients with ILI who participated in a clinical trial from 2015 to 2018 in 15 European countries. Patients rated signs and symptoms as absent, minor, moderate, or major problem. A nasopharyngeal swab was taken for microbiological identification of influenza and other microorganisms. Models were generated considering (i) the presence of individual symptoms and (ii) the severity rating of symptoms. A total of 2,639 patients aged 18 or older were included in the analysis. The mean age was 41.8 ± 14.7 years, and 1,099 were men (42.1%). Influenza was microbiologically confirmed in 1,337 patients (51.1%). The area under the curve (AUC) of the model for the presence of any of seven symptoms for detecting influenza was 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65-0.68), whereas the AUC of the symptom severity model, which included eight variables-cough, fever, muscle aches, sweating and/or chills, moderate to severe overall disease, age, abdominal pain, and sore throat-was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.69-0.72). Clinical prediction of microbiologically confirmed influenza in adults with ILI is slightly more accurate when based on patient reported symptom severity than when based on the presence or absence of symptoms.

Does C-reactive protein predict time to recovery and benefit from oseltamivir treatment in primary care patients with influenza-like illness? A randomized controlled trial secondary analysis

Objective Recovery time and treatment effect of oseltamivir in influenza-like illness (ILI) differs between patient groups. A point-of-care test to better predict ILI duration and identify patients who are most likely to benefit from oseltamivir treatment would aid prescribing decisions in primary care. This study aimed to investigate whether a C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration of ≥30 mg/L can predict (1) ILI disease duration, and (2) which patients are most likely to benefit from oseltamivir treatment. Design Secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial data. Setting Primary care in Lithuania, Sweden and Norway during three consecutive influenza seasons 2016–2018. Subjects A total of 277 ILI patients aged one year or older and symptom duration of ≤72 h. Main outcome measures Capillary blood CRP concentration at baseline, and ILI recovery time defined as having ‘returned to usual daily activity’ with residual symptoms minimally interfering. Results At baseline, 20% (55/277) had CRP concentrations ≥30mg/L (range 0–210). CRP concentration ≥30 mg/L was not associated with recovery time (adjusted hazards ratio (HR) 0.80: 95% CI 0.50–1.3; p = 0.33). Interaction analysis of CRP concentration ≥30 mg/L and oseltamivir treatment did not identify which patients benefit more from oseltamivir treatment (adjusted HR 0.69: 95% CI 0.37–1.3; p = 0.23). Conclusion There was no association between CRP concentration of ≥30 mg/L and recovery time from ILI. Furthermore, CRP could not predict which ILI patients benefit more from oseltamivir treatment. Hence, we do not recommend CRP testing for predicting ILI recovery time or identifying patients who will receive particular benefit from oseltamivir treatment. Key Points Predicting disease course of influenza-like illness (ILI), and identifying which patients benefit from oseltamivir treatment is a challenge for physicians. • There was no association between CRP concentration at baseline and recovery time in patients consulting with ILI in primary care. • There was no association between CRP concentration at baseline and benefit from oseltamivir treatment. • We, therefore, do not recommend CRP testing for predicting recovery time or in decision-making concerning oseltamivir prescribing in ILI patients.

Sexual history taking: Doctors' clinical decision-making in primary care in the North West province, South Africa.

BackgroundClinical reasoning is an important aspect of making a diagnosis for providing patient care. Sexual dysfunction can be as a result of cardiovascular or neurological complications of patients with chronic illness, and if a patient does not raise a sexual challenge, then the doctor should know that there is a possibility that one exists and enquire.AimThe aim of this research study was to assess doctors’ clinical decision-making process with regards to the risk of sexual dysfunction and management of patients with chronic illness in primary care facilities of the North West province based on two hypothetical patient scenarios.SettingThis research study was carried out in 10 primary care facilities in Dr Kenneth Kaunda health district, North West province, a rural health district.MethodsThis vignette study using two hypothetical patient scenarios formed part of a broader grounded theory study to determine whether sexual dysfunction as comorbidity formed part of the doctors’ clinical reasoning and decision-making. After coding the answers, quantitative content analysis was performed. The questions and answers were then compared with standard answers of a reference group.ResultsOne of the doctors (5%) considered sexual dysfunction, but failed to follow through without considering further exploration, investigations or management. For the scenario of a female patient with diabetes, the reference group considered cervical health questions (p = 0.001) and compliance questions (p = 0.004) as standard enquiries, which the doctors from the North West province failed to consider. For the scenario of a male patient with hypertension and an ex-smoker, the reference group differed significantly by expecting screening for mental health and vision (both p = 0.001), as well as for HIV (p < 0.001). The participating doctors did not meet the expectations of the reference group.ConclusionGood clinical reasoning and decision-making are not only based on knowledge, intuition and experience but also based on an awareness of human well-being as complex and multidimensional, to include sexual well-being.

'Lost time'. Patients with early inflammatory/rheumatoid arthritis and their experiences of delays in Primary Care.

Early referral forms a crucial part in early inflammatory/rheumatoid arthritis (EI/RA) recovery. Delayed decisions to refer can lead to severe incapacity and emotional distress for individuals and family and feelings of lost time. How patients with EI/RA experience early referral decisions in Primary Care is an under explored area and warrants further investigation. To explore how patients newly diagnosed with EI/RA experienced their early contacts with Primary Care as they negotiated their journey through the referral process into secondary care. Qualitative face-to-face interviews with newly diagnosed EI/RA patients. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore patients' experiences of referral from first symptoms to General Practitioner referral. All participants were interviewed within 2 weeks of being diagnosed in Secondary Care. Data analysis was conducted using interpretative phenomenological analysis. All participants in this study described having experienced struggles with their navigation through Primary Care towards diagnosis and specialist EI/RA services. This struggle comprised five key elements: 'family persuasion', 'lack of continuity in care', 'pushing for referral', 'strained relations' and 'lost time'. The delays experienced by patients when attempting to reach an early referral decision in Primary Care cause frustration for those presenting with EI/RA, partly because they do not feel heard. There is a significant impact on patients and their families when referral to specialist care is delayed.

Using Point of Care Testing to estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness in the English primary care sentinel surveillance network

Rapid Point of Care Testing (POCT) for influenza could be used to provide information on influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) as well as influencing clinical decision-making in primary care. We undertook a test negative case control study to estimate the overall and age-specific (6 months-17 years, 18-64 years, ≥65 years old) IVE against medically attended POCT-confirmed influenza. The study took place over the winter of 2019-2020 and was nested within twelve general practices that are part of the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC), the English sentinel surveillance network. 648 POCT were conducted. 193 (29.7%) of those who were swabbed had received the seasonal influenza vaccine. The crude unadjusted overall IVE was 46.1% (95% CI: 13.9-66.3). After adjusting for confounders the overall IVE was 26.0% (95% CI: 0-65.5). In total 211 patients were prescribed an antimicrobial after swab testing. Given a positive influenza POCT result, the odds ratio (OR) of receiving an antiviral was 21.1 (95%CI: 2.4-182.2, p = <0.01) and the OR of being prescribed an antibiotic was 0.6 (95%CI: 0.4-0.9, p = <0.01). Using influenza POCT in a primary care sentinel surveillance network to estimate IVE is feasible and provides comparable results to published IVE estimates. A further advantage is that near patient testing of influenza is associated with improvements in appropriate antiviral and antibiotic use. Larger, randomised studies are needed in primary care to see if these trends are still present and to explore their impact on outcomes.

Time to address disparities in care by appointment time

Quality of care systematically decreases over the course of the day. Ensuring that patients seen later in the day receive the same care as patients seen first thing in the morning has broad clinical and economic implications for our health care system. In this article, we outline feasible near-term solutions to direct clinicians and patients toward consistently better primary care decisions, throughout the day. These insights could be adapted to address similar challenges in other health care settings.

The Utility of Artificial Neural Networks for the Non-Invasive Prediction of Metabolic Syndrome Based on Personal Characteristics.

This study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of using an artificial neural network (ANN) for the prediction of metabolic syndrome (MetS) based on socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors. The data of 27,415 subjects who went through examinations and answered questionnaires during three stages from 2006 to 2014 at a health institute in Taiwan were collected and analyzed. The repeated measurements over time were set as predictive factors and used to train and test an ANN for MetS prediction. Among the subjects, 18.3%, 24.6%, and 30.1% were diagnosed with MetS during the respective three stages. ANN analysis applied with an over-sampling technique performed with an area under the curve (AUC) of up to 0.93 based on different models. The over-sampling technique helped improve prediction performance in terms of sensitivity and F2 measures. The results indicated that waist circumference, socioeconomic status (SES), and lifestyle factors can be utilized in a non-invasive screening tool to assist health workers in making primary care decisions when MetS is suspected. By predicting the occurrence of MetS, individuals or healthcare professionals can then develop preventive strategies in time, thus enhancing the effectiveness of health promotion.

Cancer diagnostic tools to aid decision-making in primary care: mixed-methods systematic reviews and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Tools based on diagnostic prediction models are available to help general practitioners diagnose cancer. It is unclear whether or not tools expedite diagnosis or affect patient quality of life and/or survival. The objectives were to evaluate the evidence on the validation, clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and availability and use of cancer diagnostic tools in primary care. Two systematic reviews were conducted to examine the clinical effectiveness (review 1) and the development, validation and accuracy (review 2) of diagnostic prediction models for aiding general practitioners in cancer diagnosis. Bibliographic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) in May 2017, with updated searches conducted in November 2018. A decision-analytic model explored the tools' clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in colorectal cancer. The model compared patient outcomes and costs between strategies that included the use of the tools and those that did not, using the NHS perspective. We surveyed 4600 general practitioners in randomly selected UK practices to determine the proportions of general practices and general practitioners with access to, and using, cancer decision support tools. Association between access to these tools and practice-level cancer diagnostic indicators was explored. Systematic review 1 - five studies, of different design and quality, reporting on three diagnostic tools, were included. We found no evidence that using the tools was associated with better outcomes. Systematic review 2 - 43 studies were included, reporting on prediction models, in various stages of development, for 14 cancer sites (including multiple cancers). Most studies relate to QCancer® (ClinRisk Ltd, Leeds, UK) and risk assessment tools. In the absence of studies reporting their clinical outcomes, QCancer and risk assessment tools were evaluated against faecal immunochemical testing. A linked data approach was used, which translates diagnostic accuracy into time to diagnosis and treatment, and stage at diagnosis. Given the current lack of evidence, the model showed that the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic tools in colorectal cancer relies on demonstrating patient survival benefits. Sensitivity of faecal immunochemical testing and specificity of QCancer and risk assessment tools in a low-risk population were the key uncertain parameters. Practitioner- and practice-level response rates were 10.3% (476/4600) and 23.3% (227/975), respectively. Cancer decision support tools were available in 83 out of 227 practices (36.6%, 95% confidence interval 30.3% to 43.1%), and were likely to be used in 38 out of 227 practices (16.7%, 95% confidence interval 12.1% to 22.2%). The mean 2-week-wait referral rate did not differ between practices that do and practices that do not have access to QCancer or risk assessment tools (mean difference of 1.8 referrals per 100,000 referrals, 95% confidence interval -6.7 to 10.3 referrals per 100,000 referrals). There is little good-quality evidence on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of diagnostic tools. Many diagnostic prediction models are limited by a lack of external validation. There are limited data on current UK practice and clinical outcomes of diagnostic strategies, and there is no evidence on the quality-of-life outcomes of diagnostic results. The survey was limited by low response rates. The evidence base on the tools is limited. Research on how general practitioners interact with the tools may help to identify barriers to implementation and uptake, and the potential for clinical effectiveness. Continued model validation is recommended, especially for risk assessment tools. Assessment of the tools' impact on time to diagnosis and treatment, stage at diagnosis, and health outcomes is also recommended, as is further work to understand how tools are used in general practitioner consultations. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017068373 and CRD42017068375. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 66. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Medical Interventions for Patellofemoral Pain and Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) and patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) are common, persistent conditions that may lie along a pathological spectrum. While evidence supports exercise-therapy as a core treatment for PFP and PFOA, primary care physicians commonly prescribe medication, or refer for surgical consults in persistent cases. We conducted a systematic review of medical interventions (pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and surgical) for PFP and PFOA to inform primary care decision making. Methods: Following protocol registration, we searched seven databases for randomized clinical trials of our target interventions for PFP and PFOA. Our primary outcome was pain. We assessed risk of bias, calculated standardized mean differences (SMDs) and determined the level of evidence for each intervention. Results: We included 14 publications investigating pharmaceutical or nutraceutical interventions, and eight publications investigating surgical interventions. Two randomized control trials (RCTs) provided moderate evidence of patellofemoral arthroplasty having similar pain outcomes compared to total knee arthroplasty in isolated PFOA, with SMDs ranging from −0.3 (95% CI −0.8, 0.2, Western Ontario McMaster Pain Subscale, 1 year post-surgery) to 0.3 (−0.1, 0.7, SF-36 Bodily Pain, 2 years post-surgery). Remaining studies provided, at most, limited evidence. No efficacy was demonstrated for oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or arthroscopic surgery. Conclusions: Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical prescriptions, and surgical referrals are currently being made with little supporting evidence, with some interventions showing limited efficacy. This should be considered within the broader context of evidence supporting exercise-therapy as a core treatment for PFP and PFOA.

Do Physicians' Attitudes towards Patient-Centered Communication Promote Physicians' Intention and Behavior of Involving Patients in Medical Decisions?

Promoting patient-centered communication among physicians is one core strategy for improving physician–patient relationships and patient outcomes. Our study aims to understand the physicians’ attitudes towards patient-centered communication and its effects on physicians’ intention and behavior of involving patients in medical decisions in primary care in China. One cross-sectional study was conducted in primary facilities in Hubei province, China, from December 2019 to January 2020, where physicians’ attitudes towards patient-centered communication were measured by the Chinese-revised patient–practitioner orientation scale. Multilevel ordinal logistic regression was conducted for estimating the effects of physicians’ attitudes on their intention and behavior of patient involvement in medical decisions. Six hundred and seventeen physicians were investigated for the main study. Physicians had a medium score of patient-centered communication (3.78, SD = 0.56), with relatively high caring subscale score (4.59, SD = 0.64), and low sharing subscale score (3.09, SD = 0.75). After controlling physicians’ covariates, physicians’ attitudes towards patient-centered communication was significantly associated with a higher intention of involving patients in medical decisions (OR > 1, p = 0.020). Physicians’ positive attitudes towards patient-centered communication affected their intention of involving patients in medical decisions, which implies the importance of taking the physicians’ attitudes into account for the accomplishment of patient involvement processes.

Views of Implementers and Nonimplementers of Internet-Administered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: Survey of Primary Care Decision Makers in Sweden.

BackgroundInternet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been demonstrated to be an effective intervention for adults with depression and/or anxiety and is recommended in national guidelines for provision within Swedish primary care. However, the number and type of organizations that have implemented ICBT within primary care in Sweden is currently unclear. Further, there is a lack of knowledge concerning barriers and facilitators to ICBT implementation.ObjectiveThe two primary objectives were to identify and describe primary care organizations providing ICBT in Sweden and compare decision makers’ (ie, directors of primary care organizations) views on barriers and facilitators to implementation of ICBT among ICBT implementers (ie, organizations that offered ICBT) and nonimplementers (ie, organizations that did not offer ICBT).MethodsAn online survey based on a checklist for identifying barriers and facilitators to implementation was developed and made accessible to decision makers from all primary care organizations in Sweden. The survey consisted of background questions (eg, provision of ICBT and number of persons working with ICBT) and barriers and facilitators relating to the following categories: users, therapists, ICBT programs, organizations, and wider society.ResultsThe participation rate was 35.75% (404/1130). The majority (250/404, 61.8%) of participants were health care center directors and had backgrounds in nursing. Altogether, 89.8% (363/404) of the participating organizations provided CBT. A minority (83/404, 20.5%) of organizations offered ICBT. Most professionals delivering ICBT were psychologists (67/83, 80%) and social workers (31/83, 37%). The majority (61/83, 73%) of organizations had 1 to 2 persons delivering ICBT interventions. The number of patients treated with ICBT during the last 12 months was 1 to 10 in 65% (54/83) of the organizations, ranging between 1 and 400 treated patients across the whole sample. There were 9 significant (P<.05) differences out of 37 possible between implementers and nonimplementers. For example, more implementers (48/51, 94%) than nonimplementers (107/139, 76.9%) perceived few technical problems (P<.001), and more implementers (53/77, 68%) than nonimplementers (103/215, 47.9%) considered that their organization has resources to offer ICBT programs (P<.001).ConclusionsDespite research demonstrating the effectiveness of ICBT for depression and anxiety and national guidelines recommending its use, ICBT is implemented in few primary care organizations in Sweden. Several interesting differences between implementers and nonimplementers were identified, which may help inform interventions focusing on facilitating the implementation of ICBT.

Dealing with the Lack of Time for Detailed Shared Decision-making in Primary Care: Everyday Shared Decision-making.

Policymakers and researchers are strongly encouraging clinicians to support patient autonomy through shared decision-making (SDM). In setting policies for clinical care, decision-makers need to understand that current models of SDM have tended to focus on major decisions (e.g., surgeries and chemotherapy) and focused less on everyday primary care decisions. Most decisions in primary care are substantive everyday decisions: intermediate-stakes decisions that occur dozens of times every day, yet are non-trivial for patients, such as whether routine mammography should start at age 40, 45, or 50. Expectations that busy clinicians use current models of SDM (here referred to as "detailed" SDM) for these decisions can feel overwhelming to clinicians. Evidence indicates that detailed SDM is simply not realistic for most of these decisions and without a feasible alternative, clinicians usually default to a decision-making approach with little to no personalization. We propose, for discussion and refinement, a compromise approach to personalizing these decisions (everyday SDM). Everyday SDM is based on a feasible process for supporting patient autonomy that also allows clinicians to continue being respectful health advocates for their patients. We propose that alternatives to detailed SDM are needed to make progress toward more patient-centered care.

Back to School: Monitoring a COVID-19 Outbreak Using Routine Clinical Data

After 5 weeks of lock-down during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, the government considered reopening schools in the beginning of May 2020. Decision were merely made, based on advises from epidemiologists and virologists. This study shows that by using routine data in primary care decisions can easily be supported and infectious can be monitored in a valid way.

Regret among primary care physicians: a survey of diagnostic decisions

BackgroundExperienced and anticipated regret influence physicians’ decision-making. In medicine, diagnostic decisions and diagnostic errors can have a severe impact on both patients and physicians. Little empirical research exists on regret experienced by physicians when they make diagnostic decisions in primary care that later prove inappropriate or incorrect. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of regret following diagnostic decisions in primary care.MethodsIn this qualitative study, we used an online questionnaire on a sample of German primary care physicians. We asked participants to report on cases in which the final diagnosis differed from their original opinion, and in which treatment was at the very least delayed, possibly resulting in harm to the patient. We asked about original and final diagnoses, illness trajectories, and the reactions of other physicians, patients and relatives. We used thematic analysis to assess the data, supported by MAXQDA 11 and Microsoft Excel 2016.Results29 GPs described one case each (14 female/15 male patients, aged 1.5–80 years, response rate < 1%). In 26 of 29 cases, the final diagnosis was more serious than the original diagnosis. In two cases, the diagnoses were equally serious, and in one case less serious. Clinical trajectories and the reactions of patients and relatives differed widely. Although only one third of cases involved preventable harm to patients, the vast majority (27 of 29) of physicians expressed deep feelings of regret.ConclusionEven if harm to patients is unavoidable, regret following diagnostic decisions can be devastating for clinicians, making them ‘second victims’. Procedures and tools are needed to analyse cases involving undesirable diagnostic events, so that ‘true’ diagnostic errors, in which harm could have been prevented, can be distinguished from others. Further studies should also explore how physicians can be supported in dealing with such events in order to prevent them from practicing defensive medicine.

Performance and ease of use of a molecular point-of-care test for influenza A/B and RSV in patients presenting to primary care

Annual influenza epidemics cause substantial morbidity and mortality, and the majority of patients with influenza-like illness present to primary care. Point-of-care influenza tests could support treatment decisions. It is critical to establish analytic performance of these platforms in real-life patient samples before uptake can be considered. We aimed to assess the analytical performance and ease of use of the cobas® Liat® PCR POCT in detecting influenza A/B and RSV in samples collected from patients with influenza-like illness in primary care. Sensitivity and specificity of the cobas® Liat® POCT are calculated in comparison with a commercial laboratory-based PCR test (Fast-Track Respiratory Pathogens 21 Plus kit (Fast-Track Diagnostics)). Samples with discordant results were analysed additionally by the RespiFinder 2Smart (PathoFinder) using an Extended Gold Standard (EGS). Acceptability was scored on a five-point Likert scale as well as a failure mode analysis of the cobas® Liat® POCT was performed. Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were obtained from 140 children and nasopharyngeal swabs from 604 adults (744 patients). The cobas® Liat® POCT had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% (95% CI 99–100%) and 98.1% (95%CI 96.3–99%) for influenza A, 100% (95% CI 97.7–100%) and 99.7% (95%CI 98.7–99.9%) for influenza B and 100% (95% CI 87.1–100%) and 99.4% (95%CI 98.6–99.8%) for RSV, respectively. According to trained lab technicians, the cobas® Liat® POCT was considered easy-to-use, with a fast turn-around-time. Cobas® Liat® POCT is a promising decentralised test platform for influenza A/B and RSV in primary care as it provides fairly rapid results with excellent analytic performance. Point-of-care influenza tests could support treatment decisions in primary care. Cobas® Liat® POCT is a promising decentralised test platform for influenza A/B and RSV in primary care as it provides fairly rapid results with excellent analytic performance.

Understanding General Practitioners' Antibiotic Prescribing Decisions in Out-of-Hours Primary Care: A Video-Elicitation Interview Study.

Infections are the most common reason why patients consult out-of-hours (OOH) primary care. Too often there is an overprescribing of antibiotics for self-limiting infections and general practitioners (GPs) do not always choose the guideline recommended antibiotics. To improve antibiotic prescribing quality, a better understanding is needed of the (non) antibiotic prescribing decisions of GPs. This study sets out to unravel GPs’ (non) antibiotic prescribing decisions in OOH primary care. We video-recorded 160 consultations on infections during OOH primary care by 21 GPs and performed video-elicitation interviews with each GP. GPs reflected on their decision-making process and communication while watching their consultation. A qualitative thematic analysis was used. GPs found that their (non) antibiotic prescribing decision-making was not only based on objective arguments, but also subconsciously influenced by their own interpretation of information. Often GPs made assumptions (about for example the patients’ reason for encounter or expectations for antibiotics) without objectifying or verifying this with the patient. From the beginning of the consultation GPs follow a dichotomous thinking process: urgent versus not urgent, viral versus bacterial, antibiotics versus no antibiotics. Safety-netting is an important but difficult tool in the OOH care context, with no long-term follow-up or relationship with the patient. GPs talk about strategies they use to talk about diagnostic uncertainty, what patients can expect or should do when things do not improve and the difficulties they encounter while doing this. This video- elicitation interview study provides actionable insights in GPs’ (non) antibiotic prescribing decisions during OOH consultations on infections.

Perceptions, behaviours, barriers and needs of evidence-based medicine in primary care in Beijing: a qualitative study

BackgroundEvidence-based medicine (EBM) is gradually being recognized worldwide as an important clinical skill and plays an important role in health care. Although the concept has successfully spread in the health care field, EBM still has not been widely incorporated into clinical decisions in primary care due to potential barriers. This study aimed to explore the views, experiences and obstacles of general practitioners (GPs) regarding the use EBM in their daily clinical practices in Beijing.MethodsWe performed a qualitative study with GP focus groups. Thirty-two GPs working in 26 community health service centres in 7 districts in Beijing were recruited. Four focus group sessions with 32 GPs were conducted in a meeting room at the Capital Medical University from January to February in 2018 in Beijing. All sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed for themes using an inductive content analysis approach.ResultsGPs believed that EBM could help them enhance the quality of their clinical practice. The most common EBM behaviour of GPs was making clinical decisions according to guidelines. The barriers that limited the implementation of EBM were patients’ poor compliance, lack of time, lack of resources, inadequate skills or knowledge, and guideline production problems. The first need for GPs was to participate in training to enhance their skills in practising EBM.ConclusionsTo practise EBM in general practice, integrated interventions of different levels need to be developed, including enhancing GPs’ communication skill and professional competency, training GPs on the implementation of EBM, employing more staff to reduce GPs’ workloads, providing adequate resource support, and developing evidence-based clinical guidelines for GPs.

Regional variation in primary care improvement strategies and policy: case studies that consider qualitative contextual data for performance measurement in three Canadian provinces

ObjectiveTo explore regional primary care improvement strategies that are potentially determinants of primary care performance.DesignMultiple comparative embedded case study.SettingThree regions in Canada: Fraser East, British Columbia; Eastern Ontario Health Unit,...