Falling on stony ground? A qualitative study of implementation of clinical guidelines’ prescribing recommendations in primary care

Key themes for the implementation of guidelines' prescribing recommendations in primary care are explored, including credibility of content, credibility of source, presentation, influential people, organisational factors, disease characteristics, and dissemination strategy.

Abstract

GPs were critical of guidelines' development, relevance and implementation. Guidelines should be clear about changes they propose. Future studies should quantify the relationship between evidence base of recommendations and implementation, and between change in recommendations and implementation. Small but important costs and side effects of implementing guidelines should be measured in evaluative studies.