Clinical practice guidelines. New-to-practice family physicians' attitudes

Area of Science:

• Medical Practice and Policy
• Physician Attitudes
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are essential tools for standardizing medical care.
• Understanding physician attitudes towards CPGs is crucial for successful implementation.
• Recent graduates may have different perspectives on CPGs compared to established practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the attitudes of recent Ontario family physicians towards CPGs.
• To compare these attitudes with those of US internists.
• To identify factors influencing physician agreement with CPGs.

Main Methods:

• A mailed questionnaire survey was distributed to a cohort of 564 certified family physicians in Ontario who recently entered practice.
• 395 (70%) physicians responded to the survey.
• Analysis of variance was used to examine responses to 10 statements about practice guidelines in relation to physician characteristics.

Main Results:

• A majority of respondents (80%) were in group practice, with women more likely to choose this setting and use guidelines.
• Generally favorable attitudes toward practice guidelines were observed among Ontario physicians.
• Ontario physicians demonstrated more supportive attitudes towards guidelines compared to US internists in a previous study.

Conclusions:

• Newly practicing Ontario family physicians exhibit minimal resistance to clinical practice guidelines.
• These physicians perceive less external control associated with guidelines compared to their US counterparts.
• The findings indicate a positive reception of CPGs among early-career family physicians in Ontario.