Communication and diffusion of the 2022 French Urolithiasis Guidelines (CLAFU): Lessons from a national audit

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Clinical Practice Guidelines
• Urolithiasis Management

Background:

• The French 2022 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Urolithiasis (CLAFU) were recently published.
• Evaluating the impact and dissemination of these guidelines is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the awareness, diffusion, and impact of the 2022 CLAFU guidelines among French urologists.
• To identify preferred communication methods for guideline updates.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to French certified and in-training urologists in April-May 2024.
• The survey included 18 questions on demographics, practice, guideline awareness, and impact.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive and subgroup analyses (private vs. public practice, certified vs. in-training).

Main Results:

• 86% of 228 surveyed urologists were aware of the 2022 CLAFU guidelines.
• Urologists reported a median impact of 6/10 on their practice.
• Preferred communication modalities included podcasts (55%) and educational videos (53%).
• Private practice urologists showed a preference for guideline summaries, while public/academic urologists preferred the full version.

Conclusions:

• The 2022 CLAFU guidelines have generated significant interest among French urologists.
• More interactive dissemination formats, such as audio or video, are recommended for future guideline updates.