ArticleJAC-antimicrobial resistance2022
Nationwide implementation of online communication skills training to reduce overprescribing of antibiotics: a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial in general practice.
Article in JAC-antimicrobial resistance, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03265028 (National Implementation of a Multifaceted Web-based Communication Training to Reduce of Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
National Implementation of a Multifaceted Web-based Communication Training to Reduce of Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for (Lower) Respiratory Tract Infections
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Educational Technologies to Support Rational Antimicrobial Prescribing in Primary Healthcare: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Pooled it
- Training in communication skills for healthcare providers in chronic care: a systematic review.BMC medical education · 2025Pooled it
- Leveraging Communication to Combat Antibiotic Resistance: A Longitudinal Test of a Video-Based Intervention to Improve Providers' Stewardship Skills.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Perception of antimicrobial stewardship interventions in Swiss primary care: a mixed-methods survey.BJGP open · 2025Article
- Challenges and success stories of the implementation of infection control and antimicrobial stewardship strategies: proceedings of the 5th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, 2023.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2024Article
- Factors Influencing the Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care: A Narrative Review.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objectives: Primary care is responsible for a large proportion of unnecessary antibiotic use, which is one of the main drivers of antibiotic resistance. Randomized trials have found that online communication skills training for GPs reduces antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections. This study assesses the real-world effect of implementing online communication skills training in general practice. Methods: In a closed cohort stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial all Belgian GPs were invited to participate in online communication skills training courses (TRACE and INTRO) and provided with linked patient information booklets. The primary outcome was the antibiotic prescribing rate per 1000 patient contacts. Intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses were performed. Trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03265028. Results: In total, 118 487 observations from 10 375 GPs were included in the analysis. Overall, 299 (2.88%) GPs completed TRACE and 93 (0.90%) completed INTRO, 30 of which completed both. There was no effect of the national implementation of TRACE and INTRO on the population-level antibiotic prescribing rate (prescribing rate ratio [PRR] = 0.99 [95% CI: 0.97-1.02]). GPs who actually completed TRACE prescribed fewer antibiotic prescriptions (PRR = 0.93 [95% CI: 0.90-0.95]). Conclusions: Inviting GPs to complete an online communication skills training course and providing them with the linked patient information booklets did not reduce antibiotic prescribing. However, GPs who completed TRACE prescribed 7% fewer antibiotics, especially during winter. This suggests a significant decrease in population-wide antibiotic consumption could be achieved by focusing on increasing the uptake of this intervention by identifying and overcoming barriers to participation.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.