Table 1.
Characteristics of the included studies
| Author | Publication year | Country | Period of data collection | Unit of randomization | Provider participants | Number of providers (IV/controls) | Patient participants | Number patients (IV/controls) | Contact complaint drivena | Primary aimb | Patient participationc | Controlsd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chassany34 | 2006 | France | May 2001–April 2002 | GP | GPs | 180 (84/96) | Chronic complaints of osteoarthritis | 842 (414/428) | c | c | 1 | 1 |
| Cooper32 | 2011 | USA | January 2002–August 2005 | Practice | General internists and family physicians | 41 (22/19) | Hypertensive patients in underserved PC | 279 (83/57/84/55) | r | d + p | 1 | 1 |
| Kinmonth28 | 1998 | England | April 1994–June 1995 | Practice | PC practice teamse | 41 (21/20)f | Newly diagnosed NIDDM | 250 (142/108) | r | d | 0 | 2g |
| Krones30 | 2008 | Germany | May 2005–March 2006 | CME-group | PC practice teamse | 87 (44/47) | Cholesterol measurement | 926 (460/466) | r | d + p | 0 | 1 |
| Légaré33 | 2012 | Canada | July 2010-April 2011 | Practice | Family physicians | 149 (77/72) | Acute respiratory infections | 359 (181/178) | c | d + p | 1 | 1 |
| Loh31 | 2007 | Germany | October 2002–December 2004 | PCP | PCPsh | 30 (20/10) | Newly diagnosed depressive disorder | 405 (263/142) | c | p | 0 | 1 |
| Pill29 | 1998 | England | April 1993–April 1996 | Practice | PCPsi | 29 general practicesj | NIDDM | 165 (77/88) | r | d + p | 0 | 1 |
IV, intervention; NIDDM, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; CME, continuous medical education.
ac: face-to-face contact is complaint-driven; r: routine visit for controlling chronic diseases.
bc: primary aim to relieve patient-oriented outcomes (complaints); d: disease-oriented outcomes (disease); p: process outcomes.
c1: patient participation as an end in itself; 0: as an instrument to reach another goal.
d1: controls care as usual; 2: other.
ePC practice teams consisted of doctors and nurses.
f21 practices consisted of 23 doctors and 32 nurses; 20 practices consisted of 20 doctors and 32 nurses.
gThe nurses in the comparison group were offered similar support sessions focusing on the use of guidelines and materials.
hPCP: primary care physicians, all teaching practices.
iPCPs and their practice nurses committed for at least 2 years to an annual peer reviewed clinical audit of diabetic care.
jProvider number, discrimination between IV versus controls not made.