Impact of Feedback Visits and Decision Support on Antibiotic Prescriptions
Author Information
Author(s): Zhuang Yan, François Mathilde, Carney Greg, MacBride-Stewart Sean, Jeanmougin Pauline, Larramendy Stéphanie, Fournier Jean-Pascal, Gaultier Aurélie, Rat Cédric
Primary Institution: Nantes University
Hypothesis
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of multifaceted antibiotic stewardship interventions on inappropriate systemic antibiotic prescriptions in primary care.
Conclusion
The study found that a visit by a health insurance representative combined with feedback and a clinical decision support system led to a 4.4% reduction in systemic antibiotic prescriptions over 12 months.
Supporting Evidence
- The mean volume of systemic antibiotics per GP decreased by 219.2 defined daily doses in the CDSS-based visit group compared to the control group.
- The decrease in antibiotic prescriptions was not significantly different between the standard visit group and the control group.
- Overall, the intervention led to a 4.4% reduction in antibiotic prescriptions.
Takeaway
Doctors who got help and feedback on their antibiotic prescriptions gave out fewer antibiotics, which is good for fighting infections.
Methodology
An open-label, cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted with 2501 general practitioners in western France, comparing two interventions against a control group.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the lack of blinding for GPs regarding their participation in the study.
Limitations
The study lacked data on the actual use of the clinical decision support system by GPs and could not assess the sustainability of the intervention's effects beyond 12 months.
Participant Demographics
43.9% of the participants were women, with a mean age distribution across various age groups.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI −339.5 to −98.8
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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