Meta-analysis: audit and feedback features impact effectiveness on care quality.

Hysong SJ. Meta-analysis: audit and feedback features impact effectiveness on care quality. Medical care. 2009 Mar 1; 47(3):356-63.

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Audit and feedback (AandF) has long been used to improve quality of care, albeit with variable results. This meta-analytic study tested whether Feedback Intervention Theory, a framework from industrial/organizational psychology, explains the observed variability in health care AandF research. METHOD: Data source: studies cited by Jamtvedt's 2006 Cochrane systematic review of AandF, followed by database searches using the Cochrane review's search strategy to identify more recent studies. Inclusion criteria: Cochrane review criteria, plus: presence of a treatment group receiving only A and F; a control group receiving no intervention; a quantitatively measurable outcome; minimum n of 10 per arm; sufficient statistics for effect size calculations. Moderators: presence of discouragement and praise; correct solution, attainment level, velocity, frequency, and normative information; feedback format (verbal, textual, graphic, public, computerized, group vs. individual); goal setting activity. Procedure: meta-analytic procedures using the Hedges-Olkin method. RESULTS: Of 519 studies initially identified, 19 met all inclusion criteria. Studies were most often excluded due to the lack of a feedback-only arm. AandF has a modest, though significant positive effect on quality outcomes (d = 0.40, 95% confidence interval = +/-0.20); providing specific suggestions for improvement, written, and more frequent feedback strengthened this effect, whereas graphical and verbal feedback attenuated this effect. CONCLUSIONS: AandF effectiveness is improved when feedback is delivered with specific suggestions for improvement, in writing, and frequently. Other feedback characteristics could also potentially improve effectiveness; however, research with stricter experimental controls is needed to identify the specific feedback characteristics that maximize its effectiveness.