Understanding the barriers and enablers of pharmacogenomic testing in primary care: a qualitative systematic review with meta-aggregation synthesis

Introduction: Pharmacogenomic testing can indicate which drugs may have limited therapeutic action or lead to adverse effects, hence guiding rational and safe prescribing. However, in the UK and other countries, there are still significant barriers to implementation of testing in primary care. Objective: This systematic review presents the barriers and enablers to the implementation of pharmacogenomics in primary care setting. Materials & methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases were searched through to July 2020 for studies that reported primary qualitative data of primary care professionals and patient views. Following screening, data extraction and quality assessment, data synthesis was undertaken using meta-aggregation based on the theoretical domain’s framework (TDF). Confidence in the synthesized findings relating to credibility and dependability was established using CONQual. Eligible papers were categorized into six TDF domains – knowledge; social and professional roles; behavioral regulation; beliefs and consequences; environmental context and resources; and social influences. Results: From 1669 citations, eighteen eligible studies were identified across seven countries, with a sample size of 504 participants including both primary care professionals and patients. From the data, 15 synthesized statements, all with moderate CONQual rating emerged. These categories range from knowledge, awareness among Primary Care Physicians and patients, professional relationships, negative impact of PGx, belief that PGx can reduce adverse drug reactions, clinical evidence, cost–effectiveness, informatics, reporting issues and social issues. Conclusion: Through use of TDF, fifteen synthesized statements provide policymakers with valuable recommendations for the implementation of pharmacogenomics in primary care. In preparation, policymakers need to consider the introduction of effective educational strategies for both PCPs and patients to raise knowledge, awareness, and engagement. The actual introduction of PGx will require reorganization with decision support tools to aid use of PGx in primary care, with a clear delegation of roles and responsibilities between general professionals and pharmacists supplemented by a local pool of experts. Further policy makers need to address the cost effectiveness of pharmacogenomics and having appropriate infrastructure supporting testing and interpretation including informatic solutions for utilizing pharmacogenomic results.

Mapping De-Implementation Strategies To Identified Determinants of Low-Value Statin Prescription for Primary CVD Prevention in Primary Care

BackgroundDespite clear recommendations supporting healthy lifestyle promotion interventions for the primary prevention of CVD in low-risk patients, a considerable number of these people continue to receive inappropriate statin prescriptions. The present study reports on the structured process based on theory and evidence carried out for the design of de-implementation strategies to reduce the inappropriate prescription of statins and to increase the promotion of healthy lifestyles, in CVD prevention practice of primary care professionals for patients with low cardiovascular risk.MethodsA phase I formative study following a structured theory-informed process combining the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) was conducted, comprising: semi-structured interviews (n=5) with primary care professionals to delimitate and define the problem in behavioral terms; focus groups (4 groups with 21 physicians; 1 group with 6 patients) to identify the determinants of potentially inappropriate prescribing [PIP] of statins and healthy lifestyle promotion actions; mapping of behavioral change interventions operationalized as de-implementation strategies for addressing identified determinants; and consensus techniques for the prioritization of strategies based on perceived effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability.ResultsNumerous multilevel determinants of both PIP of statins and healthy lifestyle promotion embracing almost all of the TDF dimensions have been identified. Guided by the BCW established procedure, 13 potential de-implementation strategies have been mapped to identified determinants. Those assessed as potentially more feasible, acceptable and potentially effective by the professionals themselves were: 1) Information/knowledge dissemination strategies: a corporate dissemination campaign on “Abandonment of Low-Value Practices”; a Clinical Pathway for the primary prevention of CVD in low-risk patients, accompanied with audiovisual and paper-based training resources; 2) Strategies for presenting relevant information for decision-making: an audit/feedback system regarding CVD prevention practice performance indicators; and 3) Strategies for helping clinical decisions: reminders, alerts, and a decision support tool incorporated into the REGICOR CVD risk calculator in the electronic clinical record.DiscussionThe methodology established by the TDF/BWC for the design of behavior change interventions has been useful for the development of de-implementation strategies targeting the decision-making process of clinicians to favor the uptake of recommended clinical practice for CVD prevention in low-risk patients.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04022850. Registered 17 July 2019, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04022850

THE MANAGEMENT OF DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS BY THE GASTROENTEROLOGIST. A SERIES OF CASES

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is considered a skin celiac disease (CD). The individuals can be seen by primary care professionals or by dermatologists that could refer the patient to a gastroenterologist. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the clinical profile of patients diagnosed with DH and referred to a gastroenterologist and evaluate the treatment response. METHODS: We retrospectively studied patients with DH referred to the same gastroenterologist at a private office in Curitiba, Brazil, between January 2010 to December 2019. We included adult patients with a confirmed DH diagnosis. Symptoms, clinical signs, laboratory and histological data, as well as treatment response, were collected. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were studied (60.6% women, mean age at diagnosis 40.8±12.61 years). The median delay for DH diagnosis was four years. Skin involvement was mild in 33.3%, moderate in 18.2%, and severe in 48.5%. The more frequent gastrointestinal complaints were abdominal distension (78.8%), flatulence (75.7%), and gastroesophageal reflux (51.5%). Depression and anxiety were observed in 81.8% and anemia in 51.1%. A higher prevalence of bone disorders was associated with higher age at DH diagnosis (P=0.035). Duodenal biopsy showed changes in all patients. Improvement after treatment only with a gluten-free diet (GFD) plus dapsone was verified in 81.2%. CONCLUSION: Patients with DH referred to a gastroenterologist showed a high frequency of gluten intolerance and systemic complaints. Duodenal histological alterations were found in all the cases. The treatment based on GFD plus dapsone was effective in most patients.

Supporting Primary Care Professionals to Stay in Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Views on Personal Risk and Access to Testing During the First Wave of Pandemic in Europe

Background: Minimising primary care professionals' (PCPs) risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial to ensure their safety as well as functioning health care system. PCPs' perspectives on the support they needed in the early stages of a public health crisis can inform future preparedness.Aim: To understand PCPs' experiences of providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic, with focus on personal risk from COVID-19 and testing.Design and Setting: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with PCPs in England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Greece and Sweden, between April and July 2020.Method: Interviews were analysed using a combination of inductive and deductive thematic analysis techniques.Results: Eighty interviews were conducted, showing that PCPs tried to make sense of their risk of both contracting and severity of COVID-19 by assessing individual risk factors and perceived effectiveness of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). They had limited access to PPE yet continued providing care as their “duty.” Some PCPs felt that they were put in high-risk situations when patients or colleagues were not flagging symptoms of COVID-19. Not having access to testing in the initial stages of the pandemic was somewhat accepted but when available, was valued.Conclusion: Access to adequate PPE and testing, as well as training for staff and education for patients about the importance of ensuring staff safety is crucial. Given PCPs' varied response in how they appraised personal risk and their tolerance for working, PCPs may benefit from the autonomy in deciding how they want to work during health emergencies.

Changes in Televisit Modalities Due to the Covid-Pandemic in Chile: A Comparison of Patient Satisfaction.

BACKROUND: The corona virus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted healthcare guidelines and modalities of patient consultation worldwide. The frequent cycles of quarantine confinement in Chile has caused mobility restrictions for both patients and physicians, which forced the Hospital Las Higueras de Talcahuano (HHT) to replace the assisted televisit modality with a more classic televisit program. This change may have impacted the satisfaction of patients.METHODS: Patient’s perception of satisfaction was evaluated through self-administered survey questionnaires, previously validated in the Spanish language. Cohorts were grouped according to two relational models:i) Assisted televisit, 503 neurology patients during the years 2018-2019; and ii) Televisit, 831 patients from different specialtiestreated during 2020. Perception of satisfaction was compared by gender, age, and type of televisit, and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) and reliability (factorial analysis of main components) were assessed. RESULTS: Assisted televisit and televisit cohortswere composed by 64.2% and 67.6% women, respectively; patients under 65 years of age were 62.2% and 75%, respectively. Assisted televisit patients showed very high 94.4% (n=475) and high 5.2% (n=26) satisfaction levels, while televisit patients showed very high 22.3% (n=185), high 63.9% (n=531), and moderate 13.1% (n=109) satisfaction levels; this difference is statistically significant at p<0.001. Questionnaires showed excellent internal consistency, and all items showed point biserial correlations greater than 0.30. CONCLUSION: Lower perception of satisfaction due to the change in televisit relational modality underscores the importance of primary care professionals, who support the specialist inthe assisted televisit model. The results of this study suggest that assisted televisit contributes to delivering an integrative solution that helps to alleviate the fragmentation of the system.

Primary care professionals’ experiences during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece: a qualitative study

Background The coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) tested health care systems worldwide. This qualitative study aimed to explore and understand the experiences, beliefs and concerns of Primary Care Professionals (PCPs) regarding the preparedness and response of primary care to the first wave of the pandemic in Greece, a country where a public structured primary care system has been developing. Methods We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 33 PCPs (General Practitioners, community General Internal Medicine Specialists, community Paediatricians and nurses) recruited from all regions of Greece after the first wave of the pandemic (June 2020). Interviews were transcribed verbatim, data were anonymised and analysed. Thematic analysis was applied developing a conceptual framework. Results Four main themes were identified: a) Primary care unit adaptation and issues faced during the pandemic; b) Management of suspected COVID-19 cases; c) Management of non-suspected cases; d) Consequences of the pandemic. In the first phase of the pandemic, remote management of suspected cases and their referral to the hospital were preferred as a result of a shortage of personal protective equipment and inaccessibility to coronavirus testing in primary care. Due to the discontinuation of regular medical services and the limited in-person contact between doctors and patients, chronic disease management and prevention programmes were left behind. Social and emotional consequences of the pandemic, such as workplace stigma, isolation and social seclusion, deriving from fear of viral transmission, as well as burnout symptoms and exhaustion were commonly experienced among PCPs. Positive consequences of the pandemic were considered to be the recognition of the importance of an empowered public healthcare system by citizens and the valuable insight, knowledge and experience professionals gained in times of crisis. Conclusions Primary care has a key role to play during and after the pandemic by using its information infrastructure to identify at-risk groups, detect new cases of COVID-19, provide care according to needs, and carry out vaccination programmes. Central coordination and empowerment of primary care will increase its effectiveness, via public awareness, holistic patient management, and unburdening of hospitals.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout in Primary Care Physicians in Catalonia

Background: Recent demands to raise the clinical quality, improve the patient experience, and decrease costs have progressively increased burnout among primary care physicians. This overstretched situation has been greatly aggravated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study is to analyse the prevalence of burnout among primary care physicians and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout. Methods: This was a multicentre longitudinal descriptive study of occupational factors and burnout before and since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to assess the impact of the pandemic on burnout in primary care physicians, two paired groups of physicians were compared using Wilcoxon’s and McNemar’s tests. Results: In January 2019, 10% of primary care physicians scored high on all burnout domains. Seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic (October 2020), this percentage increased to 50%. Paired groups analysis showed unprecedented worsening due to the pandemic: emotional exhaustion, which already affected 55% of primary care physicians, jumped to 77%. Conclusions: Burnout is endemic among primary care physicians. It has been associated with lower patient satisfaction, reduced health outcomes, and increased costs. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed burnout in primary care professionals to the edge.

Antimicrobial utilization and stewardship in patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections managed by pharmacists in the community: A sub-study of the RxOUTMAP trial

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) often lead to suboptimal antibacterial use. Pharmacists are accessible primary care professionals who have an important role to play in antimicrobial stewardship. Our objective was to evaluate the appropriateness of pharmacists’ antibacterial prescribing for patients with uncomplicated UTI. METHODS: We conducted a prospective registry trial with 39 community pharmacies in New Brunswick, Canada. Adult patients were enrolled if they presented to the pharmacy with either symptoms of UTI with no current antibacterial treatment (pharmacist-initial arm) or an antibacterial prescription for UTI from a physician (physician-initial arm). Pharmacists assessed patients; patients with complicating factors or red flags for systemic illness or pyelonephritis were excluded. Pharmacists prescribed antibacterial therapy or modified antibacterial therapy, provided education only, or referred to a physician, as appropriate. Antibacterial therapy prescribed was compared between study arms. RESULTS: Seven hundred fifty patients were enrolled (87% pharmacist-initial arm). The most commonly prescribed agents in the pharmacist-initial arm were nitrofurantoin (88%), sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim (TMP–SMX) (8%), and fosfomycin (2%); in the physician-initial arm, nitrofurantoin (55%), TMP–SMX (26%), and fluoroquinolones (11%) were prescribed. Therapy was guideline concordant for 95.1% of patients in the pharmacist-initial arm and 35.1% of patients in the physician-initial arm ( p < 0.001). For guideline-discordant therapy from physicians, pharmacists prescribed to optimize therapy for 46% of patients. CONCLUSION: Treatment was highly guideline concordant when pharmacist initiated, with physicians prescribing longer treatment durations and more fluoroquinolones. This represents an important opportunity for antimicrobial stewardship interventions by pharmacists in the community.