Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29168409›Full record

ArticleThe European journal of general practice2018

How do Swiss general practitioners agree with and report adhering to a top-five list of unnecessary tests and treatments? Results of a cross-sectional survey.

Kevin Selby, Jacques Cornuz, Christine Cohidon, Jean-Michel Gaspoz, Nicolas Senn

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The European journal of general practice, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Lansoprazole for persistent throat symptoms in secondary care: the TOPPITS RCT.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2021
    Trial
  2. The impact of Choosing WiselyBMC health services research · 2025
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kevin Selbya Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine , University of Lausanne , Lausanne , Switzerland.
Jacques Cornuza Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine , University of Lausanne , Lausanne , Switzerland.
Christine Cohidona Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine , University of Lausanne , Lausanne , Switzerland.
Jean-Michel Gaspozd Division of Primary Care Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine , Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland.
Nicolas Senna Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine , University of Lausanne , Lausanne , Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn 2014, the 'Smarter Medicine' campaign released a top five list of unnecessary tests and treatments in Swiss primary care, such as imaging for acute low-back pain and long-term prescribing of proton pump inhibitors.

objectivesMeasure general practitioners' (GPs) agreement with the recommendations and self-reported adherence.

methodsCross-sectional, online survey of GPs in the 'Swiss primary care active monitoring' (SPAM) network, which assessed awareness of 'Smarter Medicine' and views on each recommendation. Questions included whether the clinical situation is common, whether the recommendation is followed, whether GPs agree with the recommendation and reasons why the recommendation would not be followed.

resultsOne-hundred-and-sixty-seven of 277 GPs from the SPAM network participated (60%), of which 104 (62%) knew of 'Smarter Medicine', including 79% in German areas, 49% in French areas and 38% in Italian areas (P < 0.001). Agreement with the five recommendations was high, with scores around nine out of 10. The proportion saying they typically follow each recommendation was 68 to 74%, except not continuing long-term PPI prescriptions without attempting dose reduction, with only 34%. Common reasons for not following the recommendations were patient or other provider requests and situations that might suggest the need for more aggressive care.

conclusionTwo years after the launch of the campaign, awareness and acceptance of 'Smarter Medicine' appear to be high among Swiss GPs. By self-report, the recommendations are adhered to by most of the respondents but there may be room for improvement, especially for long-term PPI prescriptions.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGeneral PractitionersGuideline AdherenceHumansInappropriate PrescribingMaleMiddle AgedPractice Patterns, Physicians'Primary Health CareProton Pump InhibitorsSelf ReportSurveys and QuestionnairesSwitzerlandUnnecessary ProceduresProton Pump InhibitorsClinical decision-makinggeneral practicemedical overuseproton pump inhibitorsrational use of medications

Identifiers

PMID29168409
PMCPMC5795744

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.