Improving treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: a controlled trial of a multifaceted intervention in two German cities

Purpose Many recommendations from clinical practice guidelines are not implemented. We aimed to develop and evaluate a multifaceted strategy for the implementation of guidelines for Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods In the intervention region (Berlin, Germany), a continuing medical education course was held, brief guidelines for practice were distributed to all family physicians and gastroenterologists, and patient guidelines were distributed to all surveyed patients. Educational outreach visits with local opinion leaders were also conducted. No specific interventions were performed in the control region (Hamburg, Germany). Prior to the intervention and 1 year later, 1900 members of three statutory sickness funds were asked about their treatment according to guidelines with (1) long-term aminosalicylates and (2) immunosuppressants, (3) whether they took long-term glucocorticoids for maintenance of remission, (4) if they smoked, in CD patients, and (5) about the surveillance colonoscopies, in UC patients. Results Response rate after implementation was 20.1%. Responders differed between intervention and control region by age and by distribution between patients with UC or CD. After 1 year, more patients were treated according to clinical practice guidelines in the control region than in the intervention region. More patients in the intervention region took immunosuppressants after 1 year, and fewer had a surveillance colonoscopy. However, no before–after comparison was statistically significant. Conclusions This implementation strategy of UC and CD guidelines did not result in a statistically significant effect. Future implementation of guidelines for inflammatory bowel disease might need thorough evaluation of barriers and the support of theory-based concepts.