Building a nationwide online platform for evidence-based information in primary healthcare in Belgium

ID: 

4083

Session: 

Poster session 4 Saturday: Evidence implementation and evaluation

Date: 

Saturday 16 September 2017 - 12:30 to 14:00

Location: 

Exhibition Halls 1 & 2

All authors in correct order:

Vermandere M1, Paulus D2, Adriaenssens J2, De Schutter A3, Van der Schueren T4, Van Broeck D5, Vanoverschelde I6, Delvaux N1, Aertgeerts B1
1 Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Belgium
2 Belgian Health Care Knowledge Center, Belgium
3 Wetenschappelijke vereniging van Vlaamse kinesitherapeuten, Belgium
4 Société Scientifique de Médecine Générale asbl, Belgium
5 Algemene Pharmaceutische Bond, Belgium
6 EBMPracticeNet vzw, Belgium
Presenting author and contact person

Presenting author:

Mieke Vermandere

Contact person:

Mieke Vermandere
Abstract text
Background: Since 2011 EBMPracticeNet has been the Belgian electronic point-of-care information platform. The aim of the platform is to optimise quality of care by promoting evidence-based decision making. To date, the target users are the general practitioners (GPs), offering 72 national guidelines, 938 EBM Guidelines of Duodecim Medical Publications (translated from English into Dutch and French), 4552 evidence summaries, 661 links to other types of evidence-based information and 608 national patient leaflets. All this information is linked since 2012 to electronic health records through a tool called the Evidence Linker. In 2016, the Belgian Federal Public Service of Health assigned a grant to EBMPracticeNet in order to extend the target group of evidence users.

Objectives: The objective of this project is to set up a stepwise approach to disseminate evidence-based information among nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and pharmacists.

Methods: Five work packages were identified: 1) an analysis of the specific needs for the use of evidence-based information at the point of care for each healthcare provider group; 2) an inventory of the available evidence-based information (national and international); 3) the development of a dissemination model adapted to the former findings; 4) a new web design of the platform, both front end and back end; and, 5) the development of a promotion strategy for the new platform with possible parallel dissemination strategies.

Results: This project will result in a freely accessible, nationwide online platform for the dissemination of evidence-based information for six health and care professions in Belgium, by the end of 2017. The objective is to link evidence to electronic health records through the Evidence Linker. Multidisciplinary collaboration will be stimulated trough this common platform.

Conclusions: Building a nationwide online platform for evidence-based information in primary healthcare in Belgium is a unique project that can inspire other countries that face a similar challenge, i.e. the facilitation of implementing evidence among various target groups of professionals.