Abstract Body

Primary Sense is a data extraction, analysis and reporting and decision assist tool for general practice developed and administered by Gold Coast Primary Health Network in Australia that has been in 79 practices on the Gold Coast since 2019 covering 670,000 individual patients. The tool has real-time medication safety alerts that, unlike the clinical software alerts, captures what the GP intends to do, tracks if the suggested interventions are done, and has the ability to monitor patient outcomes overtime.

The alerts are 13 alerts which don’t duplicate those proved by the clinical software. The GP is provided with options to manage them as shown below

The alerts were released without any training or education. Since 9 April 2019 to 11 January 2021, 3,679 alerts have triggered for 340 GPs:

agree and I’ll take action - 41% ( n=1503)

agree but I’ll override - 21% (n=775)

wrong for the patient - 5% (n=180)

remind me next time - 15% (n=547)

Ignored - 16% (n=592)

Further analysis reveals that where the GP indicated they would take action for these patients, 812 had the medication in question omitted or the dose changed and 390 patients had the suggested pathology done (some fall into both categories). Interestingly, where the alerts were ignored the rate of intervention is about the same as where the GP said they would take action

GPs will interact with decision assist alerts where there is high clinical relevance and will take action even if they choose not to interact. The interactions enables tracking interventions and linking to patient outcomes