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Replication data for: Nudging physician prescription decisions by partitioning the order set: Results of a vignette-based study

Harvard Dataverse (Africa Rice Center, Bioversity International, CCAFS, CIAT, IFPRI, IRRI and WorldFish)

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Title Replication data for: Nudging physician prescription decisions by partitioning the order set: Results of a vignette-based study
 
Identifier https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/27817
 
Creator Tannenbaum, David
Doctor, Jason N.
Persell, Stephen D.
Friedberg, Mark W.
Meeker, Daniella
Friesema, Elisha M.
Goldstein, Noah J.
Linder, Jeffrey A.
Fox, Craig R.
 
Publisher Harvard Dataverse
 
Description BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals are rapidly adopting electronic health records (EHRs). Within EHRs, seemingly innocuous menu design configurations can in- fluence provider decisions for better or worse. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the grouping of menu items systematically af- fects prescribing practices among primary care providers. PARTICIPANTS: We surveyed 166 primary care providers in a research network of practices in the greater Chicago area, of whom 84 responded (51 % response rate). Respondents and non-respondents were similar on all observable dimensions except that respondents were more likely to work in an academic setting. DESIGN: The questionnaire consisted of seven clinical vignettes. Each vignette described typical signs and symp- toms for acute respiratory infections, and providers chose treatments from a menu of options. For each vignette, providers were randomly assigned to one of two menu partitions. For antibiotic-inappropriate vignettes, the treatment menu either listed over-the-counter (OTC) medications indi- vidually while g
rouping prescriptions together, or displayed the reverse partition. For antibiotic-appropriate vignettes, the treatment menu either listed narrow-spectrum antibiotics individually while grouping broad-spectrum antibiotics, or displayed the reverse partition. MAIN MEASURES: The main outcome was provider treat- ment choice. For antibiotic-inappropriate vignettes, we cat- egorized responses as prescription drugs or OTC-only options. For antibiotic-appropriate vignettes, we categorized responses as broad- or narrow-spectrum antibiotics. KEY RESULTS: Across vignettes, there was an 11.5 per- centage point reduction in choosing aggressive treatment options (e.g., broad-spectrum antibiotics) when aggressive options were grouped compared to when those same options were listed individually (95% CI: 2.9 to 20.1%; p=.008). CONCLUSIONS: Provider treatment choice appears to be influenced by the grouping of menu options, suggesting that the layout of EHR order sets is not an arbitrary exercise. The careful crafting of EHR order sets can serve as an important opportunity to improve patient care without constraining physicians'™ ability to prescribe what they believe is best for their patients.