Effectiveness of different de-implementation strategies in primary care: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Article type
Authors
Raudasoja A1, Mustonen J2, Parpia S3, Sipilä R4, Komulainen J4, Kuitunen I5, Vernooij R6, Crowder K7, Tikkinen K8
1Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
2Mehilainen, Helsinki, Finland
3McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
4Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, Helsinki, Finland
5University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
6University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
7University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
8University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
Background: Minimizing healthcare waste is essential to sustain current healthcare systems, and de-implementation strategies aim to reduce low-value care.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of different types of de-implementation interventions.
Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Scopus for randomized trials comparing de-implementation interventions to placebo, no intervention, or another de-implementation intervention in primary care. We screened the titles and abstracts, and full-texts, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias independently and in duplicate. We used 5 predefined intervention categories: provider education, audit and feedback, patient education, decision aids, and laboratory system interventions. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis, and assessed evidence certainty using GRADE approach.
Results: We screened 12,113 abstracts and included 110 studies (published between 1983 and 2023). Table 1 includes the pooled estimates and evidence certainty for different types of de-implementation interventions. Prespecified sensitivity and subgroup analyses did not suggest meaningful differences.
Conclusions: Pooled evidence suggests that achieving a meaningful impact on low-value care use usually requires a de-implementation intervention with multiple strategies. Very low certainty evidence suggests that provider education has a slight impact on low-value care use. Low certainty evidence suggests that audit and feedback has a slight, and patient education moderate impact on low-value care use. We found moderate certainty evidence that provider education combined with audit and feedback decreases low-value care use slightly. Our results, besides knowledge on the local prevalence of low-value care, are helpful when deciding on the de-implementation of low-value care.