JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital technologies can enable rapid targeted delivery of audit and feedback interventions at scale. Few studies have evaluated how mode of delivery affects clinical professional behaviour change and none has assessed the feasibility of such an initiative at a national scale.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the effect of audit and feedback by digital versus postal (letter) mode of delivery on primary care physician behaviour.

Methods:

This study was developed as part of the Veterans’ MATES program, an Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs funded intervention that provides targeted education and patient specific audit with feedback to Australian general practitioners, as well as educational material to veterans and other health professionals. We performed a cluster randomised controlled trial of a multifaceted intervention to reduce inappropriate gabapentinoid prescription, comparing digital and postal mode of delivery. All veteran patients targeted also received an educational intervention (postal delivery). Efficacy was measured using a linear mixed-effects model as the average number of gabapentinoid prescriptions standardised by DDD (individual level), and number of veterans visiting a psychologist in the 6 and 12 months following the intervention.

Results:

The trial involving 2552 general practitioners in Australia took place in March 2020. Both intervention groups had a significant reduction in total gabapentinoid prescription by the end of the study period (digital: mean reduction of 11.2%, p=0.004; postal: mean reduction of 11.2%, p=0.001). We found no difference between digital and postal mode of delivery in reduction of gabapentinoid prescriptions at twelve months (digital: -0.058, postal: -0.058, p = 0.983). Digital delivery increased initiations to psychologists at 12 months (digital: 3.8%, postal: 2.0%, p = 0.02).

Conclusions:

Our digitally delivered professional behaviour change intervention was feasible, had comparable effectiveness to the postal intervention with regards to changes in medicine use and increased effectiveness with regards to referrals to a psychologist. Given the logistical benefits of digital delivery in nationwide programs, the results encourage exploration of this mode in future interventions.