Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40464808›Full record

SynthesisFamily practice2025

Effectiveness of interactive dashboards to optimize prescribing in general practice: a systematic review.

Caroline McCarthy, Patrick Moynagh, Áine Mannion, Ashely Wei, Barbara Clyne, Frank Moriarty

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Family practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Caroline McCarthyDepartment of General Practice, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-2986-5994
Patrick MoynaghDepartment of General Practice, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Áine MannionDepartment of General Practice, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Ashely WeiDepartment of General Practice, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Barbara ClyneDepartment of Public Health & Epidemiology, School of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-1186-9495
Frank MoriartySchool of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-9838-3625

Funding

Clinician Scientist Fellowship CSF- 2023-012Irish College of GPsIrish Health Research Board
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe World Health Organisation's Medication Without Harm campaign aims to reduce severe avoidable medication-related harm by 50%. This systematic review explored the characteristics of interventions that provide visual and longitudinal feedback on prescribing (interactive dashboards), in general practice and the effect of these interventions on prescribing-related outcomes.

methodsThis systematic review was registered prospectively and reported in line with PRISMA guidelines. Multiple databases and grey literature were searched in November 2023 to identify interventional studies that explored the effect of interactive dashboards on prescribing-related outcomes in general practice. Two independent researchers conducted screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. Interventions were described narratively, and a random-effects meta-analysis was performed for comparable studies.

resultsTen randomized controlled trials, one controlled before-and-after study, and three interrupted time series were included. Seven studies reported a significant positive effect on prescribing-related outcomes, with an effect seen more often for studies focussing on potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) (four out of six). Three of the eight studies that focussed on antibiotic prescribing demonstrated a significant effect. A meta-analysis of three RCTs involving 160 general practices and 198 135 patients demonstrated the overall odds of PIP was 0.92 (95%CI: 0.78-1.06, I2 = 70.1%) in the intervention compared to the control group.

conclusionInteractive dashboards show promise for supporting safe and effective prescribing in general practice, but current evidence is inconclusive. Future research should focus on developing core outcome sets to facilitate future meta-analyses of effectiveness as well as optimizing their implementation and understanding how to sustain user engagement.

Indexed as

General PracticeInappropriate PrescribingPractice Patterns, Physicians'Humansaudit and feedbackcomparative benchmarkingelectronic health recordsinteractive dashboardspolypharmacypotentially inappropriate prescribingpreventable drug-related morbidityroutine prescription data

Identifiers

PMID40464808
PMCPMC12134530

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.