Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Trials
Published in: Trials 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Study protocol

Effects of communication training with the MAAS-Global-D instrument on the antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections in primary care: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

Authors: Friederike Hammersen, Katja Goetz, Andreas Soennichsen, Timo Emcke, Jost Steinhaeuser

Published in: Trials | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Primary care physicians account for the majority of antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory care in Germany. Respiratory diseases are, regardless of effectiveness, often treated with antibiotics. Research has found this use without indication to be caused largely by communication problems (e.g. expectations on the patient’s part or false assumptions about them by the physician). The present randomised controlled trial (RCT) study evaluates whether communication training for primary care physicians can reduce the antibiotic prescribing rate for respiratory tract infections.

Methods/Design

The study consists of three groups: group A will receive communication training; group B will be given the same, plus additional, access to an evidence-based point-of-care tool; and group C will function as the control group. The primary endpoint is the difference between intervention and control groups regarding the antibiotic prescribing rate before and after the intervention assessed through routine data. The communication skills are captured with the help of the communication instrument MAAS-Global-D, as well as individual videos of physician-patient consultations recorded by the primary care physicians. These skills will also be regarded with respect to the antibiotic prescribing rate.
A process evaluation using qualitative as well as quantitative methods should provide information about barriers and enablers to implementing the communication training.

Discussion

The trial contributes to an insight into the effectiveness of the different components to reduce antibiotic prescribing, which will also be supported by an extensive evaluation. Communication training could be an effective method of reducing antibiotic prescribing in primary care.

Trial registration

Date registration

5 November 2015.
Footnotes
1
It is expected that PCPs can adopt the acquired basics concerning communication skills to different causes of consultations. In order to enable a rating of the videos, no follow-up meetings should be chosen because of lack of information regarding the prior consultation.
 
Literature
1.
Bundesamt fuer Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft fuer Chemotherapie e.V., Infektiologie Freiburg. GERMAP 2012 – Bericht ueber den Antibiotikaverbrauch und die Verbreitung von Antibiotikaresistenzen in der Human- und Veterinaermedizin in Deutschland. Rheinbach: Antiinfectives Intelligence; 2014.
2.
Kuehlein T, Laux G, Gutscher A, Szecsenyi J. Kontinuierliche Morbiditaetsregistrierung in der Hausarztpraxis. Vom Beratungsanlass zum Beratungsergebnis. Muenchen: Urban & Vogel; 2008.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium. Management of uncomplicated acute bronchitis in adults. Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium, Southfield (MI). 2012.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Ventola CL. The antibiotic resistance crisis: part 1: causes and threats. P&T. 2015;40(4):277–83.
11.
Butler CC, Rollnick S, Pill R, Maggs-Rapport F, Stott N. Understanding the culture of prescribing: qualitative study of general practitioners’ and patients’ perceptions of antibiotics for sore throats. BMJ. 1998;317(7159):637–42.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
12.
Little P, Rumsby K, Kelly J, Watson L, Moore W, Warner G, et al. Information leaflet and antibiotic prescribing strategies for acute lower respiratory tract infection: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2005;293(24):3029–35. doi:10.​1001/​jama.​293.​24.​3029.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Cockburn J, Pit S. Prescribing behaviour in clinical practice: patients’ expectations and doctors’ perceptions of patients’ expectations – a questionnaire study. BMJ. 1997;315(7107):520–3.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
14.
Macfarlane J, Holmes W, Macfarlane R, Britten N. Influence of patients’ expectations on antibiotic management of acute lower respiratory tract illness in general practice: questionnaire study. BMJ. 1997;315(7117):1211–4.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
15.
16.
17.
18.
Altiner A, Brockmann S, Sielk M, Wilm S, Wegscheider K, Abholz HH. Reducing antibiotic prescriptions for acute cough by motivating GPs to change their attitudes to communication and empowering patients: a cluster-randomized intervention study. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2007;60(3):638–44. doi:10.​1093/​jac/​dkm254.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Cals JW, Butler CC, Hopstaken RM, Hood K, Dinant GJ. Effect of point of care testing for C reactive protein and training in communication skills on antibiotic use in lower respiratory tract infections: cluster randomised trial. BMJ. 2009;338:b1374. doi:10.​1136/​bmj.​b1374.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
20.
21.
22.
Hammersen F, Boehmer K, von der Bey J, Berger S, Steinhaeuser J. MAAS-Global-D: Instrument zur Messung und Schulung kommunikativer sowie medizinischer Kompetenzen. Zeitschrift fuer Allgemeinmedizin. 2016;92(1):13-18.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Metadata
Title
Effects of communication training with the MAAS-Global-D instrument on the antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections in primary care: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial
Authors
Friederike Hammersen
Katja Goetz
Andreas Soennichsen
Timo Emcke
Jost Steinhaeuser
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Trials / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1745-6215
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1293-5

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

Trials 1/2016 Go to the issue

Letter

Negotiating excess treatment costs in a clinical research trial: the good, the bad and the innovative

Study protocol

Chinese herbal medicine Tangshen Formula treatment of patients with type 2 diabetic kidney disease with macroalbuminuria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Study protocol

Scalp acupuncture and electromagnetic convergence stimulation for patients with cerebral infarction: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Study protocol

Effects of a transitional palliative care model on patients with end-stage heart failure: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Study protocol

Improving treatment and liver fibrosis outcomes with metformin in HCV-HIV co-infected and HCV mono-infected patients with insulin resistance: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Study protocol

Deep brain stimulation of the posterior subthalamic area and the thalamus in patients with essential tremor: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial