Exploring patients' ideas, concerns and expectation (ICE) is a communication tool to promote patient centredness and shared decision making during a consultation. This study evaluates whether offering ICE training to doctors can decrease overdiagnosis in the management of acute backache.
The study is a cluster randomized trial recruiting general practitioner from practices in Northern Bavaria/Germany forming a research network within the recently implemented framework of PRO PRICARE (Preventing Overdiagnosis in Primary Care). At baseline, the intervention group (24 out of 48 doctors) will take part in a one-day training session covering theoretical background and clinical implementation of ICE communication in association with frequent consultation contents. Primary outcome measure are referrals to physiotherapists and medical specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists and radiologists, obtained from routinely collected practice data. Secondary outcomes are patients' and doctors' satisfaction measured via structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Blinding is attempted by hiding the trial purpose and treatment allocation from the participating doctors.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
48
The workshop includes training in communication skills in relation to evidence based medicine.
Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Institute of General Practice
Erlangen, Germany
number of medical referrals
referrals of patients to physiotherapists and medical specialists such as radiologists, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons
Time frame: data collection up to 12 weeks post intervention aims to capture 40 consultations for acute backpain
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