Nabovati E, Jeddi FR, Farrahi R, Anvari S. Information technology interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing for patients with acute respiratory infection: a systematic review.
Clin Microbiol Infect 2021;
27:838-845. [PMID:
33813115 DOI:
10.1016/j.cmi.2021.03.030]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Information technology (IT) interventions provide physicians with easy and quick access to information at the point of care and can play a major role in clinical decision-making for antibiotic prescribing. This study aimed to examine the effects and characteristics of IT interventions on improving antibiotic prescribing for patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI).
METHODS
A comprehensive search was performed in Medline (through PubMed), ISI web of science, Embase, and Cochrane databases from inception to 31 August 2020. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) and cluster RCT (CRCT) studies examining the effectiveness of IT interventions in improving antibiotic prescribing for patients with ARI were included. Participants were patients with ARI. IT interventions were used for improving antibiotic prescribing. Two researchers independently extracted data from studies on methods, characteristics of interventions, and results. The characteristics of interventions were extracted based on three dimensions of IT design, data entry source, and implementation characteristics.
RESULTS
Eighteen studies (15 CRCTs and three RCTs) were included. Most of included studies (n = 11) were conducted in the United States. In 12 studies (66.7%), IT interventions improved the level of antibiotic prescribing, and in eight of the 12 studies the effect was statistically significant. In two studies the intervention had a statistically significant negative effect, and in two studies the level of antibiotic prescribing was not changed. Seventeen studies (94.4%) used clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) for the intervention. In 12 studies (66.7%) CDSSs were integrated with electronic health records (EHRs).
CONCLUSIONS
Information technology interventions have the potential to improve prescription of antibiotics for patients with acute respiratory infection and to change physicians' behaviours in this regard. Factors affecting the acceptance of IT-based interventions to improve prescription of antibiotics should be investigated in future studies.
Collapse