Improving antibiotic stewardship in general practice
Optimal Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship in General Practice (OPTIMAS-GP) Study: A Hybrid Type 3 Implementation Trial
This trial will test whether face-to-face support or online support helps general practice doctors use antimicrobial stewardship resources more when treating adults with respiratory tract infections.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Wollongong Academic / other |
| Locations | 4 sites (Wollongong, New South Wales and 3 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT06953804 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a two-arm, cluster-randomised hybrid implementation trial comparing an Integrated Network (face-to-face) delivery of antimicrobial stewardship activities with a Virtual Network (online) delivery across 40 general practices in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and Victoria. Participating doctors will record how often they use stewardship resources and which interventions they prefer, while practices provide consultation counts and patients who saw participating doctors will be invited to give feedback via SMS surveys. Data are collected during a five-month baseline winter period, followed by implementation activities and a five-month post-implementation winter period, with the primary outcome measured as AMS interventions used per 100 consultations. Secondary outcomes use the RE-AIM framework to capture reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation fidelity, and maintenance.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults who consult a participating general practitioner for a respiratory tract infection and agree to complete brief surveys are the intended patient participants.
Not a fit: Patients who do not attend a participating practice, who consult for conditions other than respiratory tract infections, or whose clinicians do not adopt the interventions are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the trial could increase use of stewardship tools in primary care and reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous antimicrobial stewardship programs in primary care have shown reductions in inappropriate antibiotic use, but direct comparisons of face-to-face integrated delivery versus virtual delivery are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Study sites Inclusion Criteria: 1. New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, or Victoria 2. at least two GPs per practice consent to be in the study, 3. that at least one member of practice staff consents to be in the study 4. that a staff member from the site will be available to provide 90 minutes per fortnight of administrative support for the study. There are no exclusion criteria in addition to this. Exclusion Criteria: None Participating doctors and healthcare workers Inclusion criteria: 1\) Working at a participating practice for at least three days a week. Exclusion criteria : None Patients completing patient reported outcome measure survey Inclusion criteria: 1. patients consulted with a participating GP for a RTI, 2. patients re-consulted with a GP or was hospitalized. Exclusion criteria: None Patient reported experience measures survey Inclusion criteria: 1\) patient consulted with a participating GP for an RTI. Exclusion criteria: None Patients participating in interviews as part of the nested case studies Inclusion criteria: 1. consulted with a participating GP for a RTI, 2. completed a patient survey, 3. able to read and speak English Exclusion criteria: None
Where this trial is running
Wollongong, New South Wales and 3 other locations
- University of Wollogongong — Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Recruiting)
- Bond University — Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (Recruiting)
- University of Tasmania — Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (Recruiting)
- Monash University — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Andrew Bonney, PhD, — Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong
- Study coordinator: Colin H Cortie, PhD
- Email: optimas-gp@uow.edu.au
- Phone: +67 02 4221 5610
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.