Feedback Program for Reducing Antibiotic Overprescription
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
The goal of this study is to evaluate an educational intervention that aims to reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed by family physicians and nurse practitioners in British Columbia, Canada.
The intervention materials include a confidential personalized prescribing "portrait" and an evidence-based educational summary (therapeutics letter), accompanied by an introduction letter.
The main research questions are:
1. Will the intervention lead to a reduction in the overall number of antibiotics prescriptions started?
2. Will the intervention lead to a reduction in the proportion of antibiotics prescribed that are likely unnecessary, especially prescriptions for upper respiratory tract infections, acute bronchitis, acute sinusitis?
Researchers will conduct an intervention study with family physicians and nurse practitioners in British Columbia, Canada. Participant clinicians will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The Early Group will consist of 80% of the participants and will receive the intervention (prescribing portrait, evidence summary, and introduction letter) at the start of the study. The Delayed Group will consist of 20% of participants and will receive the intervention about nine months later. This study design allows most practitioners to receive the intervention early while still allowing time to compare the two groups to assess the impact. To estimate the impact of the intervention, researchers will use administrative health data to compare the prescribing of the Early Group with prescribing of the Delayed Group.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Colin Dormuth, ScD
Principal Investigator
University of British Columbia
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Intervention
Early Group receives the prescribing portrait audit-and-feedback intervention at study initiation
Delayed Intervention
Delayed Group receives the prescribing portrait audit-and-feedback intervention approximately 9 months after the Early Group
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in antibiotic prescribing rates and unnecessary prescriptions
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Prescribing portrait audit and feedback
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
The Early Group of clinicians (n=6100) will be mailed the prescribing portrait audit-and-feedback intervention (prescribing portrait, evidence summary, and introduction letter) at the study initiation in February 2026.
Delayed control group (n=1526) of clinicians will be mailed the audit-and-feedback intervention (prescribing portrait, evidence summary, and introduction letter) approximately 9 months after Group 1 (Early Group).
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of British Columbia
Lead Sponsor
Ministry of Health, British Columbia
Collaborator
British Columbia Centre for Disease Control
Collaborator
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