Methods | CRCT | |
Participants |
Total randomized: 139; IG: 72; CG 67 Age (mean): IG: 27.3; CG 26.9 Sex (% female): IG: 69.4; CG: 73.1 Providers: Physicians (recently qualified) Setting: Primary health centres Country: Finland |
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Interventions |
Intervention: Physicians were randomized to receive a computerized version of the Evidence-Based Medicine Guidelines (EBMG) Comparison: Physicians were randomized to receive textbook based version of the Evidence-Based Medicine Guidelines (EBMG) Duration: 1 month Follow up: NR EPOC: Distribution of educational materials; other - paper versus computerized (CD-ROM) guidelines |
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Outcomes | Primary outcome: Physicians compliance with guideline recommendations (including laboratory, radiological, physical and other examinations, procedures, nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments, physiotherapy and referrals) | |
Notes | Targeted behavior: clinical prevention services; diagnosis; test ordering; referrals; general management of a problem/treatment; procedures; prescribing | |
Risk of bias | ||
Item | Authors’ judgement | Description |
Adequate sequence generation? | Yes | Quote: “Students agreeing to participate in the study were randomised centrally using computer-generated numbers.” Note: they entered the study after they qualified as physicians |
Allocation concealment? | Yes | Quote: “Students agreeing to participate in the study were randomised centrally using computer-generated numbers.” |
Blinding? All outcomes |
Yes | Quote: “The anonymous patient records were then evaluated by one author (JJ, experienced primary care physician) blinded to the study group.” |
Incomplete outcome data addressed? All outcomes |
Yes | Quote: “Data on 4,633 patient encounters were abstracted, of which 3,484 were suitable for further analysis.” |
Free of selective reporting? | Yes | The author supplied a reconstruction of the study plan and letters to the participating physicians (Appendix 3). |
CG = control group
CRCT= Cluster randomized controlled trial
IG = intervention group
RHL = Reproductive Health Library
NR = not reported