gms | German Medical Science

G-I-N Conference 2012

Guidelines International Network

22.08 - 25.08.2012, Berlin

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease: are we sticking to the guidelines?

Meeting Abstract

  • G. Villanueva - Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, OSTEBA-EKU, Basque Country, Spain
  • I. Gutierrez-Ibarluzea - Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, OSTEBA-EKU, Basque Country, Spain
  • M. López de Argumedo - Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, OSTEBA-EKU, Basque Country, Spain
  • A. Rodríguez-Antigüedad - Neurology department, Basurto Hospital, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain

Guidelines International Network. G-I-N Conference 2012. Berlin, 22.-25.08.2012. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2012. DocP163

doi: 10.3205/12gin275, urn:nbn:de:0183-12gin2757

Veröffentlicht: 10. Juli 2012

© 2012 Villanueva et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Background: Detecting Alzheimer’s (AD) at early stage is of paramount value in effectively treating the disease. Although numerous Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) address the issue of diagnosis, there is uncertainty as to what extent clinicians follow the proposed recommendations.

Objectives: The objective of this research is to determine whether clinicians’ real practice coincides or differs from the recommendations established in CPGs on the management of AD.

Methods: A structured questionnaire developed for the European ALCOVE project has been distributed among professionals working in the field of Alzheimer in different Spanish hospitals. The survey collects information regarding current diagnostic practices and professional views on diagnostic procedures. The respondents will be classified into groups according to their role within the hospital. The results gathered will be compared with the summary of international recommendations obtained from a systematic review of CPGs that is also being performed by our team.

Results: This is an ongoing piece of work and results will be ready for presentation at G-I-N. The comparison will reflect the differences between recommendations and clinicians’ real work at the point of care.

Discussion: The journey from evidence to implementation is challenging. It is necessary that guideline developers and health professionals work alongside to improve adherence to recommendations. Nevertheless, uptake of evidence-based evidence into clinical practice is conditioned to availability of resources.

Implications for guideline developers/users: Attitudes towards GPCs should be taken into consideration when developing new guidelines. Moreover adequate dissemination and implementation strategies should be put in place to increase their use.