Changing GPs' clinical behaviour. What can divisions do?

BACKGROUND

The increasingly complex challenge for medical practitioners to keep up to date and use the best available evidence in their clinical decision making has led to important studies on the effectiveness of various strategies to change clinician behaviour. Divisions of General Practice can develop an evidence based framework to support this change.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this paper are to: discuss effective interventions to change clinicians' behaviour describe the theories which underlie these strategies suggest a framework for Divisions of General Practice to design and implement effective programs.

DISCUSSION

Continuing medical education and guideline implementation serve to highlight the impact of various change strategies. The interventions and the theories that underlie them, whether they be from a social, behavioural or organisational perspective, offer Divisions of General Practice an opportunity to support GPs in their ongoing professional need for quality improvement.