Antipsychotic medication in learning disability Impact of audit and evidence-based medicine on quality of prescribing in a community assessment treatment unit

1998 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 601-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherva E. Cooray ◽  
Jovanka Tolmac

Aims and methodAntipsychotic medication, an effective treatment modality in the management of psychiatric/behaviour disorders in people with learning disability, is often criticised because of poor clinical practice. Rational and judicious use, subject to evidence-based guidelines and systematic monitoring, is mandatory. A five-year clinical audit programme on the quality of prescribing for this clientele was undertaken.ResultsSignificant quality improvement with minimal resource consumption was demonstrated.Clinical implicationsClinical audit facilitates high-quality prescribing: pragmatic and economic, it can easily be integrated into routine clinical practice.

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (07) ◽  
pp. 266-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Meagher ◽  
Maria Moran

Aims and Method To compare prescribing practice in a community mental health service with evidence-based guidelines and identify factors related to sub-optimal prescribing. All current patients (n=640) were assessed regarding six key aspects of prescribing (polypharmacy, high-dose treatment, use of thioridazine/maintenance benzodiazepine/maintenance hypnotic or routine anticholinergic treatment). The relationship of quality of prescribing practice to demographic, illness and service variables was examined by regression analysis. Results Five-hundred and five (79%) patients were receiving psychotropic medication. Of these, 232 (46%) had evidence of sub-optimal prescribing practice. Mean prescribing practice quality score was 0.75 ± 0.99. Maintenance benzodiazepine/ hypnotic (31%) and anticholinergic (30%) use were particularly common. Prescribing practice quality score was higher in those receiving depot antipsychotic treatment (P < 0.01) and in older patients (P < 0.01). Scores were significantly lower in patients whose principal medical contacts were with a consultant rather than a junior doctor (P < 0.001). Clinical Implications Prescribing practices in real-world settings frequently deviate from evidence-based guidelines. The quality of prescribing is related to patient, illness and service variables. In particular, greater contact with consultant staff is linked to better practices. Patients receiving depot antipsychotics are especially liable to less judicious prescribing practice.


2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 266-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Meagher ◽  
Maria Moran

Aims and MethodTo compare prescribing practice in a community mental health service with evidence-based guidelines and identify factors related to sub-optimal prescribing. All current patients (n=640) were assessed regarding six key aspects of prescribing (polypharmacy, high-dose treatment, use of thioridazine/maintenance benzodiazepine/maintenance hypnotic or routine anticholinergic treatment). The relationship of quality of prescribing practice to demographic, illness and service variables was examined by regression analysis.ResultsFive-hundred and five (79%) patients were receiving psychotropic medication. Of these, 232 (46%) had evidence of sub-optimal prescribing practice. Mean prescribing practice quality score was 0.75 ± 0.99. Maintenance benzodiazepine/ hypnotic (31%) and anticholinergic (30%) use were particularly common. Prescribing practice quality score was higher in those receiving depot antipsychotic treatment (P < 0.01) and in older patients (P < 0.01). Scores were significantly lower in patients whose principal medical contacts were with a consultant rather than a junior doctor (P < 0.001).Clinical ImplicationsPrescribing practices in real-world settings frequently deviate from evidence-based guidelines. The quality of prescribing is related to patient, illness and service variables. In particular, greater contact with consultant staff is linked to better practices. Patients receiving depot antipsychotics are especially liable to less judicious prescribing practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (S1) ◽  
pp. 42-42
Author(s):  
Qian Xu ◽  
Kun Zhao ◽  
Cheng A Xin Duan ◽  
Dandan Ai ◽  
Binyan Sui

IntroductionThe scientific application of clinical evidence-based guidelines can reduce the variability of clinical practice, and standardize clinical diagnosis and treatment pathways. At present, many evidence-based guidelines on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) prevention have been issued in countries around the world, but the procedures and evaluation strategies developed by different guidelines are not the same. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) relating to COPD using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument.MethodsDatabases were systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Wan Fang, and CNKI as well as guidelines websites on COPD prevention and treatment. The search period was from inception of the database up to May 2019. The inclusion criteria for this study are as follows: (i) published and in accordance with the definition of the practice guidelines; (ii)the main target population is COPD patients with the diagnostic criteria of the 2019 edition of the global initiative for COPD (GOLD), and the content of the guideline is related to the prevention and treatment practice of COPD; (ii) the same guide is included in the latest updated version; (iv) the published language is English or Chinese. Guidelines that met these inclusion criteria were evaluated for the quality of the AGREE II guidelines. Then, a descriptive analysis was made of the consensus that exists in the guidelines.ResultsA total of fifteen guidelines/Consensuses Statements were included in the study. Two guidelines were assessed as recommended, eleven guidelines were assessed as recommended with modifications and two guidelines were not recommended. The mean scores of the included guidelines in the six domains (scope and purpose, personnel involved in guideline development, rigor of development, clarity, applicability, independence) were 90 percent, 72 percent, 49 percent, 96 percent, 60 percent, 69 percent, respectively. Thus, the study identified a consensus that disease risk factors and recommended interventions were mentioned in the guidelines, and that they comprehensively evaluated the quality of guideline reporting to provide reference for standardizing the development of practice guidelines for COPD in China.ConclusionsThe overall methodological quality of COPD CPGs should be improved. The key recommended areas for improvement include standardization of guideline report writing and synthesis of the latest and best evidence, to develop CPGs for COPD to improve the quality of clinical diagnosis and treatment for COPD.


1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 560-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Macarthur ◽  
Liisa Jaakkimainen

The objective of this paper is to review the principles, methods and issues behind the development of clinical practice guidelines. Practice guidelines have been defined as “systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances”. The ultimate goal of guidelines is to improve patient outcomes; however, they may also be used as tools to decrease health care costs, improve medical education and enhance quality assurance. Evidence-based guidelines use explicit methods to link recommendations to the quality of the underlying research. Following development of the guideline, implementation and evaluation are key steps. The ultimate aim of guideline development is to influence physician knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Wells ◽  
Melissa Severn

Three overviews of reviews and 11 systematic reviews were identified regarding the clinical effectiveness of adherence incentives in those who require assistance to complete their tuberculosis treatment. Four evidence-based guidelines were identified that provided recommendations regarding the use of adherence incentives in those who require assistance completing their tuberculosis treatment. The reported clinical effectiveness of adherence incentives for patients with tuberculosis was mixed. There were no detrimental effects of providing incentives, but there was also no conclusive evidence pointing to a clinical benefit. The overall quality of the included reviews was moderate to high. The included guidelines recommended that incentives and enablers be included as a part of a patient-centred strategy for treatment and for patients with active tuberculosis or patients at high risk; however, the evidence formulating these recommendations was of low certainty or quality. Two of the included guidelines were of high methodological quality, and 2 were of lower methodological quality.


Sarcoma ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Neuhaus ◽  
D. Thomas ◽  
J. Desai ◽  
C. Vuletich ◽  
J. von Dincklage ◽  
...  

In 2013 Australia introduced Wiki-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Adult Onset Sarcoma. These guidelines utilized a customized MediaWiki software application for guideline development and are the first evidence-based guidelines for clinical management of sarcoma. This paper presents our experience with developing and implementing web-based interactive guidelines and reviews some of the challenges and lessons from adopting an evidence-based (rather than consensus-based) approach to clinical sarcoma guidelines. Digital guidelines can be easily updated with new evidence, continuously reviewed and widely disseminated. They provide an accessible method of enabling clinicians and consumers to access evidence-based clinical practice recommendations and, as evidenced by over 2000 views in the first four months after release, with 49% of those visits being from countries outside of Australia. The lessons learned have relevance to other rare cancers in addition to the international sarcoma community.


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