Perspectives on low-value care and barriers to de-implementation among primary care physicians: a multinational survey.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare costs are rising worldwide. At the same time, a considerable proportion of care does not benefit or may even be harmful to patients. We aimed to explore attitudes towards low-value care and identify the most important barriers to the de-implementation of low-value care use in primary care in high-income countries. METHODS: Between May and June 2022, we email surveyed primary care physicians in six high-income countries (Austria, Finland, Greece, Italy, Japan, and Sweden). Physician respondents were eligible if they had worked in primary care during the previous 24 months. The survey included four sections with categorized questions on (1) background information, (2) familiarity with Choosing Wisely recommendations, (3) attitudes towards overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and (4) barriers to de-implementation, as well as a section with open-ended questions on interventions and possible facilitators for de-implementation. We used descriptive statistics to present the results. RESULTS: Of the 16,935 primary care physicians, 1,731 answered (response rate 10.2%), 1,505 had worked in primary care practice in the last 24 months and were included in the analysis. Of the respondents, 53% had read Choosing Wisely recommendations. Of the respondents, 52% perceived overdiagnosis and 50% overtreatment as at least a problem to some extent in their own practice. Corresponding figures were 85% and 81% when they were asked regarding their country's healthcare. Respondents considered patient expectations (85% answered either moderate or major importance), patient's requests for treatments and tests (83%), fear of medical error (81%), workload/lack of time (81%), and fear of underdiagnosis or undertreatment (79%) as the most important barriers for de-implementation. Attitudes and perceptions of barriers differed significantly between countries. CONCLUSIONS: More than 80% of primary care physicians consider overtreatment and overdiagnosis as a problem in their country's healthcare but fewer (around 50%) in their own practice. Lack of time, fear of error, and patient pressures are common barriers to de-implementation in high-income countries and should be acknowledged when planning future healthcare. Due to the wide variety of barriers to de-implementation and differences in their importance in different contexts, understanding local barriers is crucial when planning de-implementation strategies.

The Finnish current care guideline for open-angle glaucoma.

This article is an English translation of the 4th Finnish Current Care Guideline for diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of primary open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma. This guideline is based on systematic literature reviews and expert opinions with Finland's geographical and operational healthcare environment in mind.

Reporting of costs and economic impacts in randomized trials of de-implementation interventions for low-value care: a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: De-implementation of low-value care can increase health care sustainability. We evaluated the reporting of direct costs of de-implementation and subsequent change (increase or decrease) in health care costs in randomized trials of de-implementation research. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE and Scopus databases without any language restrictions up to May 2021. We conducted study screening and data extraction independently and in duplicate. We extracted information related to study characteristics, types and characteristics of interventions, de-implementation costs, and impacts on health care costs. We assessed risk of bias using a modified Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. RESULTS: We screened 10,733 articles, with 227 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, of which 50 included information on direct cost of de-implementation or impact of de-implementation on health care costs. Studies were mostly conducted in North America (36%) or Europe (32%) and in the primary care context (70%). The most common practice of interest was reduction in the use of antibiotics or other medications (74%). Most studies used education strategies (meetings, materials) (64%). Studies used either a single strategy (52%) or were multifaceted (48%). Of the 227 eligible studies, 18 (8%) reported on direct costs of the used de-implementation strategy; of which, 13 reported total costs, and 12 reported per unit costs (7 reported both). The costs of de-implementation strategies varied considerably. Of the 227 eligible studies, 43 (19%) reported on impact of de-implementation on health care costs. Health care costs decreased in 27 studies (63%), increased in 2 (5%), and were unchanged in 14 (33%). CONCLUSION: De-implementation randomized controlled trials typically did not report direct costs of the de-implementation strategies (92%) or the impacts of de-implementation on health care costs (81%). Lack of cost information may limit the value of de-implementation trials to decision-makers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: OSF (Open Science Framework): https://osf.io/ueq32 .

Randomized controlled trials in de-implementation research: a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare costs are rising, and a substantial proportion of medical care is of little value. De-implementation of low-value practices is important for improving overall health outcomes and reducing costs. We aimed to identify and synthesize randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on de-implementation interventions and to provide guidance to improve future research. METHODS: MEDLINE and Scopus up to May 24, 2021, for individual and cluster RCTs comparing de-implementation interventions to usual care, another intervention, or placebo. We applied independent duplicate assessment of eligibility, study characteristics, outcomes, intervention categories, implementation theories, and risk of bias. RESULTS: Of the 227 eligible trials, 145 (64%) were cluster randomized trials (median 24 clusters; median follow-up time 305 days), and 82 (36%) were individually randomized trials (median follow-up time 274 days). Of the trials, 118 (52%) were published after 2010, 149 (66%) were conducted in a primary care setting, 163 (72%) aimed to reduce the use of drug treatment, 194 (85%) measured the total volume of care, and 64 (28%) low-value care use as outcomes. Of the trials, 48 (21%) described a theoretical basis for the intervention, and 40 (18%) had the study tailored by context-specific factors. Of the de-implementation interventions, 193 (85%) were targeted at physicians, 115 (51%) tested educational sessions, and 152 (67%) multicomponent interventions. Missing data led to high risk of bias in 137 (60%) trials, followed by baseline imbalances in 99 (44%), and deficiencies in allocation concealment in 56 (25%). CONCLUSIONS: De-implementation trials were mainly conducted in primary care and typically aimed to reduce low-value drug treatments. Limitations of current de-implementation research may have led to unreliable effect estimates and decreased clinical applicability of studied de-implementation strategies. We identified potential research gaps, including de-implementation in secondary and tertiary care settings, and interventions targeted at other than physicians. Future trials could be improved by favoring simpler intervention designs, better control of potential confounders, larger number of clusters in cluster trials, considering context-specific factors when planning the intervention (tailoring), and using a theoretical basis in intervention design. REGISTRATION: OSF Open Science Framework hk4b2.

Development and application of implementation tools for rehabilitation guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a project to develop guideline implementation tools (GItools) for rehabilitation guidelines, and a collaboration between a guideline producer and a healthcare organization to implement guidelines into care pathways. DESIGN: Descriptive case study. METHODS: A national guideline organization in Finland launched a 3-year project in 2015 to implement rehabilitation recommendations. Usability of the GItools was evaluated and improved, based on literature, workshops and surveys. An implementation plan guided the production of the GItools. An implementation plan was developed to integrate the shoulder disorders guideline into a care pathway at Päijät-Häme district rehabilitation unit. The implementation plan was produced in 3 facilitated workshops, which included brainstorming, snowballing, prioritizing and short lectures. RESULTS: Twenty implementation plans and 119 different GItools for 22 guidelines were developed. The GItools, in particular patient material, were perceived as useful for the facilitation of guideline implementation. Four seminars and 14 sessions of continuous medical education were arranged. A plan was developed and executed for the implementation of the shoulder disorders guideline. CONCLUSION: It is feasible for a guideline producer to systematically include GItools into rehabilitation guidelines. This implementation project was an example of a successful collaboration between a guideline producer and a healthcare organization.

Highlighting the need for de-implementation - Choosing Wisely recommendations based on clinical practice guidelines.

BACKGROUND: The Choosing Wisely campaign has spread to many countries. Methods for developing recommendations are inconsistent. We describe our process of developing such recommendations from a comprehensive national set of clinical practice guidelines (Current Care, CC) and the results of a one-year Choosing Wisely Finland project. METHODS: Two of the authors drafted the quality and process criteria for all the Choosing Wisely Finland recommendations. The quality criteria were relevance, feasibility, evidence-based and strength. These were discussed in editors' meetings and subsequently revised. Two different processes for developing recommendations within national clinical practice guidelines were designed and piloted (processes A and B). Process A was based on a published guideline. The recommendations are drafted by an editor and revised and approved by the guideline development group. In process B the development of the recommendations is integrated with guideline production or update. Choosing Wisely recommendations were then drafted for half of the published CC Guidelines. An additional process (process C) was designed for producing independent recommendations outside a guideline. RESULTS: At least one Choosing Wisely recommendation could be identified from 39 out of 52 reviewed guidelines. Of the 106 recommendations drafted, 62 (58%) were accepted for publication. The main reasons for rejection were inability to give a strong recommendation (n = 18, 41%) and insufficient relevance (n = 14, 32%). Two thirds (n = 41, 66%) of the published recommendations were based on high to moderate level of evidence, and 18% (n = 11) on low or very low level of evidence, whereas for the rest, the quality of evidence was not critically appraised. CONCLUSIONS: Choosing Wisely recommendations can be produced systematically from existing clinical practice guidelines. The rigorous methods of evidence-based medicine ensure high-quality recommendations. We welcome the use of our processes and methods describes in this article by other guideline-producing organizations.

Incorporating evidence-based rehabilitation into clinical practice guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: Rehabilitation is often neglected in clinical practice guidelines, even when there is evidence for its effectiveness. The Current Rehabilitation development project, documented in this article, aimed to develop processes and structures to incorporate evidence and good practice on rehabilitation and functional capacity into the Finnish national Current Care Guidelines. DESIGN: Descriptive assessment. METHODS: The 3-year Current Rehabilitation development project was launched in 2012. It began with an assessment of existing rehabilitation evidence on the Current Care Guideline database and a query to Finnish rehabilitation experts. The project group developed and compiled tools for Current Care editors and guideline panels. The editorial team continued to monitor changes in rehabilitation evidence in the guidelines. RESULTS: During the years 2012-2014, a total of 54 guidelines were published, and rehabilitation was incorporated into 31 of them. The number of rehabilitation-related evidence summaries increased from 49 to 164. During the next 3 years an additional 41 guidelines were published. Rehabilitation was incorporated to 24 of them, and the number of rehabilitation-related evidence summaries increased from 78 to 136. CONCLUSION: The level of evidence criteria used for rehabilitative interventions were the same as for symptomatic or curative interventions. Evidence showing the effectiveness of rehabilitation increased substantially during the project.

The Finnish national guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of visual impairment in developed countries. Several improvements in the visualization of posterior segment of the eye together with the introduction of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment have revolutionized the prognosis of the wet form of AMD (wAMD). Increasing incidence of wAMD together with the limited resources of society and of the healthcare system poses challenges for the provision and development of care. In context of these current aspects, we aimed to set evidence-based medical guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with wAMD.

[Implementation in Finnish]. / Implementointia suomeksi.

Implementation research examines and promotes the uptake of research findings in various operational environments. The concepts of implementation research in Finnish are not yet established. In support of the research field we describe the Finnish equivalents of the central terms related to knowledge translation in healthcare and the frame of reference of Implementation research, with the national Current Care Guidelines as the starting point. The frame of reference is based on literature, experiences of the authors, iterative modification of the frame of reference on the basis of discussions, and results of expert inquiry. The frame of reference describes seven objects of evaluation, examples of research set-ups and methods as well as tools.

[Update on current care guidelines. Pain]. / KÄYPÄ HOITO -SUOSITUS (Tiivistelmä). Kipu.

Management of patients suffering from chronic pain is based on long-term therapeutic relationship. The main objectives of the treatment are pain relief, restoration of function and improvement of quality of life. Interventions for treatment and rehabilitation need to be planned in agreement with the patient. Non-pharmaceutical interventions form the basics of the treatment. If medication is needed, it should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the patient according to the etiology and intensity of pain, comorbidities and psychosocial situation.

Guidelines International Network: Principles for Disclosure of Interests and Management of Conflicts in Guidelines.

Conflicts of interest (COIs) have been defined by the American Thoracic Society as "a divergence between an individual's private interests and his or her professional obligations such that an independent observer might reasonably question whether the individual's professional actions or decisions are motivated by personal gain, such as direct financial, academic advancement, clinical revenue streams, or community standing." In the context of guideline development, the concerns are not simply about identifying and disclosing direct financial or indirect COIs. Despite this recognition, the management of COIs in guidelines is often unsatisfactory. In response to requests from its international membership and informed by existing syntheses of the evidence and policies of international organizations, the Guidelines International Network Board of Trustees developed guidance on the disclosure of interests and management of COIs. Current approaches are relatively similar throughout the guideline development community, with an increasing recognition of the importance of disclosing and managing indirect COIs. Although there are differences in detail among the approaches, the similarities allow for the formulation of 9 core principles for managing COIs. In formulating these principles, the Guidelines International Network Board of Trustees recognizes that COIs cannot be totally avoided when panel members are being chosen for certain guidelines or in certain settings; thus, the important issue is the management of COIs in a fair, judicious, transparent manner.

[Update on Current Care Guideline: Glaucoma]. / Avokulmaglaukooma.

The up-date of the Finnish Current Care Guideline for glaucoma is based primarily on systematic reviews searched up by March 2014. The recommendations are presented in nine tables, which are based on 95 graded statements with evidence summaries. The online availability (www.kaypahoito.fi) of the English translation of guideline and evidence summaries enables the verification of the evidence and recommendations. Ten external stakeholders gave a mean value of 1.8 (range of 1 = completely agree to 4 = completely disagree) for the structured questions (e.g. definitions, goals, questions, target users) and judged the evidence and the recommendations.

[Update on Current Care Guideline: Diabetic retinopathy]. / Kaypa Hoite-Suosituksen Paivitystiivistelma. Diabeettinen retinopatia.

Good treatment of diabetes decreases the risk of diabetic retinopathy. The goals of the treatment are adequate glucose balance, blood pressure and prevention of metabolic syndrome. Every patient with diabetes should regularly be screened for diabetic retinopathy. Timely and efficient treatment of retinopathy significantly decreases the risk of visual impairment.

Psychological distress of children with early-onset type 1 diabetes and their mothers' well-being.

AIM: Few studies have focused on the psychological adjustment of pre-adolescent children with type 1 diabetes. This study examined psychosocial functioning in nine- and 10-year-old children with early-onset type 1 diabetes, and their mothers, and associations between psychosocial functioning and diabetes management. METHODS: The mothers of 63 children with early-onset diabetes and 86 healthy children evaluated their own psychosocial functioning, and their child's, with standardised rating scales. We used general linear models to analyse the children's behaviour problems and the mothers' well-being. Associations between the children's behaviour problems, diabetes-related measures and the mothers' well-being were studied with partial correlations. RESULTS: Children with diabetes had more internalising problems than the controls (p = 0.001), and these were associated with poor glycaemic control at the early stage of the illness (p = 0.033) and the use of insulin pumps in girls (p = 0.004). Mothers in the diabetes group had more child-related stress than the controls (p < 0.001), and poorer well-being was associated with the children's behavioural problems (p < 0.024). CONCLUSION: Children with early-onset diabetes faced an increased risk of internalising problems in middle childhood. The mothers' psychological distress was associated with children's behaviour problems rather than their diabetes.

[Systematic reviews]. / Luotettavaa vaikuttavuustietoa järjestelmällisistä katsauksista.

Systematic reviews aim to systematically identify, critically assess and summarise all relevant studies on a specific topic. The present article gives advice on how to find, assess and exploit systematic review on effectiveness. Systematic reviews on effectiveness constitute a source of knowledge for professionals within health care and welfare, researchers, developers and decision makers.

[How do I evaluate and utilize information provided by observational study]. / Miten arvioin ja hyödynnän havainnoivan tutkimuksen tuottamaa tietoa?

The strength of observational study is the utilization of large materials in order to evaluate the risk factors and prognosis of disease, rare adverse effects of treatments and their everyday effectiveness. Observational studies are, however, associated with a higher risk of bias as compared with randomized controlled studies. Whereas the effectiveness of individual interventions under ideal conditions must be resolved in randomized studies, the effectiveness of treatment chains under routine healthcare conditions can be assessed only through observational studies.

[Principles and pitfalls of randomized controlled study]. / Satunnaistetun kontrolloidun tutkimuksen periaatteita ja sudenkuoppia.

Randomized controlled study is a central tool in the study of the prevention and treatment of diseases and effect of rehabilitation. Whereas prevention of bias resulting from potential differencies in study groups is a great advantage of the randomized study design, pitfalls are also involved in these studies. The task of the reader of the study is to evaluate the validity of the results, their clinical significance and possible applicability to one's own treatment decisions.

Patient-specific computer-based decision support in primary healthcare--a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Computer-based decision support systems are a promising method for incorporating research evidence into clinical practice. However, evidence is still scant on how such information technology solutions work in primary healthcare when support is provided across many health problems. In Finland, we designed a trial where a set of evidence-based, patient-specific reminders was introduced into the local Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system. The aim was to measure the effects of such reminders on patient care. The hypothesis was that the total number of triggered reminders would decrease in the intervention group compared with the control group, indicating an improvement in patient care. METHODS: From July 2009 to October 2010 all the patients of one health center were randomized to an intervention or a control group. The intervention consisted of patient-specific reminders concerning 59 different health conditions triggered when the healthcare professional (HCP) opened and used the EPR. In the intervention group, the triggered reminders were shown to the HCP; in the control group, the triggered reminders were not shown. The primary outcome measure was the change in the number of reminders triggered over 12 months. We developed a unique data gathering method, the Repeated Study Virtual Health Check (RSVHC), and used Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE) for analysing the incidence rate ratio, which is a measure of the relative difference in percentage change in the numbers of reminders triggered in the intervention group and the control group. RESULTS: In total, 13,588 participants were randomized and included. Contrary to our expectation, the total number of reminders triggered increased in both the intervention and the control groups. The primary outcome measure did not show a significant difference between the groups. However, with the inclusion of patients followed up over only six months, the total number of reminders increased significantly less in the intervention group than in the control group when the confounding factors (age, gender, number of diagnoses and medications) were controlled for. CONCLUSIONS: Computerized, tailored reminders in primary care did not decrease during the 12 months of follow-up time after the introduction of a patient-specific decision support system. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT00915304.

[Update in Current Care guidelines. Evaluation of a suspected child sexual abuse]. / Lapsen seksuaalisen hyväiksikäytön epäilyn tutkiminen.

According to Finnish Child Welfare Law, the authorities are obligated to report suspicions of child sexual abuse immediately to the police and to social services to ensure the well being of the child. The investigating police may request assistance for forensic interviews and medical assessments from specialized units. The child's disclosure is often the most important part of the evaluation. The timing of medical examination is crucial to obtain biological trace of evidence and to document evidence of acute injury or infection. The need for crisis support must be evaluated.