The 12 remaining studies across all musculoskeletal conditions showed little or no improvement in GP behaviour and patient outcomes .The direction of the targeted behaviour ( i.e. increasing or decreasing a behaviour ) does not seem to affect the effectiveness of an intervention .
There is good- quality evidence that a GP alerting system with or without patient-directed education on osteoporosis improves guideline -consistent GP behaviour , result ing in better diagnosis and treatment rates .
Interventions such as GP reminder messages and GP feedback on performance combined with guideline dissemination may lead to small improvements in guideline -consistent GP behaviour with regard to low back pain , while GP education on osteoarthritis pain and the use of educationally influential physicians may lead to slight improvement in patient outcomes and guideline -consistent behaviour respectively .
BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal conditions require particular management skills .
Identification of interventions which are effective in equipping general practitioners ( GPs ) with such necessary skills could translate to improved health outcomes for patients and reduced healthcare and societal costs .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of professional interventions for GPs  that aim to improve the management of musculoskeletal conditions in primary care .
We investigated whether the direction of the targeted behavioural change affects the effectiveness of interventions .
The impact of two educational interventions on osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment after fragility fracture: a population-based randomized controlled trial
Summary This study assessed whether osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment after an osteoporotic fracture  can be increased by providing osteoporosis reading material to patients and family doctors or by watching a videocassette about osteoporosis . Educating patients about osteoporosis had little impact on whether a woman received an osteoporosis diagnosis or treatment . Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of two education-based interventions on osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment in women ≥50 years of age after fragility fracture . Methods Six to eight months after fracture , women were r and omized into three groups : ( 1 ) control , ( 2 ) written material s , or ( 3 ) videocassette and written material s. Written material s for both the patient and physician detailed osteoporosis , fragility fracture , and available treatments ; written material s for physicians were provided through patients . The educational videocassette presented similar information as the written material , but in greater depth . Rates of osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment following intervention were compared among groups using survival analysis methods . Statistical significance was set at p < 0.0167 . Results At r and omization , 1,174 women were without osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment , and after follow-up , 12 % of the control group , 15 % of the written material s group ( p = 0.073 ) , and 16 % ( p = 0.036 ) of the videocassette and written material s group were diagnosed with osteoporosis ( statistical comparisons to control ) . Treatment rates were 8 % for the control group , 12 % for the written material s group ( p = 0.052 ) , and 11 % for the videocassette and written material s group ( p = 0.157 ) . At r and omization , 1,314 women were without treatment and after follow-up therapy was initiated in 10 % of the control group , 13 % of the written material s group ( p = 0.107 ) , and 13 % of the videocassette and written material s group ( p = 0.238 ) . Conclusions The educational interventions assessed in this trial were not satisfactory to increase osteoporosis diagnosis or treatment in recently fractured women to a clinical ly meaningful degree
The 12 remaining studies across all musculoskeletal conditions showed little or no improvement in GP behaviour and patient outcomes .The direction of the targeted behaviour ( i.e. increasing or decreasing a behaviour ) does not seem to affect the effectiveness of an intervention .
There is good- quality evidence that a GP alerting system with or without patient-directed education on osteoporosis improves guideline -consistent GP behaviour , result ing in better diagnosis and treatment rates .
Interventions such as GP reminder messages and GP feedback on performance combined with guideline dissemination may lead to small improvements in guideline -consistent GP behaviour with regard to low back pain , while GP education on osteoarthritis pain and the use of educationally influential physicians may lead to slight improvement in patient outcomes and guideline -consistent behaviour respectively .
BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal conditions require particular management skills .
Identification of interventions which are effective in equipping general practitioners ( GPs ) with such necessary skills could translate to improved health outcomes for patients and reduced healthcare and societal costs .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of professional interventions for GPs  that aim to improve the management of musculoskeletal conditions in primary care .
We investigated whether the direction of the targeted behavioural change affects the effectiveness of interventions .