The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Foundation is pleased to announce the 2013 recipients of the RACGP/Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd Research (TGL) grants, Professor Mieke van Driel and Associate Professor David Peiris.
The grants, which total $100 000 in value, are offered to fund projects that focus on the use and implementation of guidelines in general practice for a period of 18 months and are awarded by the RACGP on the recommendation of the RACGP/TGL Research Collaboration Panel.
RACGP Foundation Patron, Professor Peter Mudge, said the grants are a reflection of the pivotal role general practice research plays in improving the health outcomes of all Australians.
“This year’s grant applicants were of an exceptionally high calibre and all should be congratulated for their efforts.
“The research proposals presented by the successful applicants conveyed the importance of guidelines in primary healthcare and offered positive predictions for increased future adherence in general practice,” said Professor Mudge.
Prof van Driel’s study, The ChAP Study: Changing the Antibiotic Prescribing of General Practice Registrars Through Better Adherence to Antibiotic Guidelines, received $67 967 and aims to develop an educational intervention that incorporates the electronic Therapeutic Guidelines Antibiotic guidelines on antibiotic use in respiratory tract infections.
The study predicts the intervention will be effective in improving adherence to evidence-based guidelines in GPs who are still developing their prescribing habits and that rational prescribing of antibiotics in primary care will contribute to improved patient outcomes.
Prof van Driel’s study will be carried out in collaboration with Professor Parker Magin, Dr Anthea Dallas, Dr Simon Morgan, Dr Lawrie McArthur and Associate Professor Patrick McElduff.
A/Prof Peiris’ study, HealthTracker: A Cloud-Based Clinical Decision Support System for Translating Multiple Chronic Disease Guidelines into Practice received $30 073 and is a primary healthcare intervention that utilises point-of-care decision support, clinical audit and feedback and workforce training to improve the management and prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke.
HealthTracker was recently evaluated in a large-scale trial and showed significant improvements in processes of care. It is anticipated the expanded HealthTracker system will reduce disease siloes, narrow evidence-practice gaps, engage providers and patients in decision-making and provide a scalable platform for national deployment.
A/Prof Peiris’ study will be carried out in collaboration with Professor Anushka Patel, Associate Professor Martin Gallagher, Associate Professor Sophia Zoungas, Dr Chris Paton and Dr Fred Hersch.
More information on grants offered by the RACGP Foundation can be found on the RACGP website.