BJGP Open最新文献

{"title":"Utilisation and consequences of CRP point-of-care-testing in primary care practices: a real-world multicentre observational study with 1740 patient cases in Germany.","authors":"Robby Markwart, Lena-Sophie Lehmann, Markus Krause, Paul Jung, Liliana Rost, Susanne Doepfmer, Lisa Kuempel, Doreen Kuschick, Kahina J Toutaoui, Christoph Heintze, Jutta Bleidorn, Florian Wolf","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0120","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0120","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>C-reactive protein point-of-care tests (CRP-POCTs) can support GPs' clinical decision making but they are not widely used in German general practices.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate the utilisation of semi-quantitative CRP-POCTs in routine primary care.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Prospective observational study in 49 general practices in Germany (from November 2022-April 2023).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>GPs were provided with CRP-POCTs and collected data for each CRP-POCT use, with standardised data-collection sheets.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data from 1740 CRP-POCT uses were recorded. GPs employed CRP-POCTs mainly for patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs; 71.2% of all cases) and to a lesser extent for gastrointestinal infections (GIs; 10.4%). In RTIs, CRP-POCTs were frequently used to distinguish between bacterial and viral aetiology (60.8%) and to guide decisions on antibiotic prescribing (62.8%). In GIs, CRP-POCTs were mainly used to rule out severe disease progressions (53.2%) and for decisions on further diagnostic procedures (45.6%). In RTIs, CRP-POCTs influenced antibiotic prescribing in 77.5% of the cases (32.3% in favour versus 45.2% waiver). In GIs, CRP levels mainly affected decisions on further diagnostic procedures. GPs reported that CRP-POCTs were helpful in 88.6% of all cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>When available, German GPs predominantly use semi-quantitative CRP-POCTs to guide decisions on antibiotic prescribing in patients with RTIs. CRP-POCT use improves clinical decision making and increases the GP's clinical confidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142005496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developing a data-enabled nudge intervention for childhood antibiotics in primary care: a qualitative study.","authors":"Oliver Van Hecke, Aleksandra Borek, Christopher Butler, Sarah Tonkin-Crine","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0032","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Preschool children (aged ≤5 years) have the highest antibiotic prescribing rate in general practice, mostly for self-limiting acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Research from >250 000 UK children suggests that a child's antibiotic history for RTI may be a good predictor for re-consulting a health professional for the same illness episode and increased clinical workload.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To develop a data-enabled nudge intervention to optimise antibiotic prescribing for acute RTI based on a child's antibiotic history in general practice.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Two-phase qualitative study with parents or carers of preschool children and primary care clinicians in England.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In phase 1, through an initial focus group with eight parents or carers and 'think-aloud' interviews with 11 clinicians, we co-designed the intervention (computer-screen prompt and personalised consultation leaflet). In phase 2, 13 clinicians used the intervention, integrated into the GP computer software, and shared their feedback through 'think-aloud' interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We co-created a data-driven intervention that automatically integrates a child's antibiotic history for acute RTI and personalised leaflet into the electronic medical records. We found that parents and clinicians found this intervention, in principle, acceptable and feasible to use in primary care consultations. GP participants reflected on the prompt's novelty and its usefulness of taking stock of the number of antibiotic prescriptions a child has had in the past year.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Delivering such interventions, integrated into practice workflow, could be efficiently scaled up to promote effective antimicrobial stewardship and reduce unnecessary antibiotic use in primary care. Further research will test this intervention in a future trial.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142297458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Arab community perceptions and awareness of family medicine: a systematic review.","authors":"Beesan Maraqa, Zaher Nazzal, Therese Zink","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0104","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Family medicine (FM), often known as general practice, is the foundation of sustainable and universal healthcare worldwide. As a new specialty in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), it must recruit doctors and gain public acceptability, which has traditionally favoured specialists.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This research examined studies on Arab populations' attitudes towards FM to discover the barriers to creating and embracing this vital specialty.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>This review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and encompassed peer-reviewed articles from reputable sources such as PsycNet, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and grey literature.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A comprehensive search was conducted across databases for peer-reviewed studies that explored Arabs' awareness, perceptions, and attitudes towards FM and physicians.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After a rigorous selection process, 19 studies were deemed suitable for analysis. These studies encompassed diverse participants, including medical students, physicians, patients, and the general public. The overall perception of FM was positive, but it was noted that few had direct exposure to family physicians during their medical education or in the clinical setting.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our review findings suggest the following five recommendations: (1) an education campaign for the general public about the role of FM; (2) increasing training capacity for family physicians; (3) early exposure to family physicians during medical school; (4) developing a process for continually improving the education and quality of family physicians; and (5) further research on the challenges to FM practice in Arab countries to understand the situation better and work toward its improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142297457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"GP remote consultations with marginalised patients and the importance of place during care: a qualitative study of the role of place in GP consultations.","authors":"Ada Humphrey, Steven Cummins, Carl May, Fiona Stevenson","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0050","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the use of remote consultations in general practice in the UK. This leads to the displacement of the consultation outside of the physical general practice, and its 'emplacement' elsewhere, with underexplored consequences for inequities of health care in marginalised groups.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To examine the place-making demands that remote consultations make on patients, and the ways that these affect their experiences of care, with a focus on the impact on patients from marginalised groups.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Ethnography and interview study (<i>n</i> = 15) undertaken at three fieldwork sites in London: a foodbank, a community development organisation, and a drop-in advice centre for migrants. Additionally, GPs (<i>n</i> = 5) working at practices in deprived areas of London, Digital Health Hub staff (<i>n</i> = 4), and staff at fieldwork sites (<i>n</i> = 3) were interviewed.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Ethnographic observation was undertaken for 84 hours at the fieldwork site services, and semi-structured interviews (<i>n</i> = 27) took place with service users and service providers. Interviews were conducted in-person and over the phone, and data were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The core themes emerging from the data included challenges securing privacy during remote consultations and the loss of formal healthcare spaces as important places of care. These findings were closely tied to resource access, leading to inequities in experiences of care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Remote GP consultations are not 'place-less' encounters, and inequities in access to suitable spaces may lead to inequities in experiences of care. Attention should be given to ensuring that patients without appropriate spaces for remote consultations are offered in-person care, or consultation times made more specific to allow for organisation of private space.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141793738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex differences and trends in managing cardiovascular risk factors in primary care: a dynamic cohort study.","authors":"Geert Smits, Michiel L Bots, Monika Hollander, Sander van Doorn","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0175","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0175","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Treatment targets for cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) make no distinction between women and men.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To explore sex differences in achieving treatment targets in patients who participated in a nurse-led, integrated CVRM care programme in primary care between 2013 and 2019.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>We conducted a dynamic cohort study in the Eindhoven region, which is the south-eastern part of the Netherlands.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We assessed outcomes of three biological risk factors (systolic blood pressure [SBP], low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, and estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) and four lifestyle factors (smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, and body mass index [BMI]). Points (1 = on target; 0 = not on target) were assigned for biological risk factors, lifestyle factors, and an overall score. Using the annual results, we applied multivariable regression models to study trends over time and differences in trends between women and men.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of participants increased from 24,889 to 38,067, mean age increased from 67.3 years to 71.5 years, with around 52 % women each year. The average of seven risk factors on target increased significantly from 4.6 to 4.9 in women, and from 4.7 to 5.0 in men, with no statistical difference between women and men. Differences between women and men in 2013 in the number of both biological and lifestyle factors on target did not materially change over time.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Integrated cardiovascular management care led to improvements in cardiovascular risk factors on target, equally well in women than in men. Differences in risk factors on target between women and men in 2013 were still present in 2019.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142093871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chronic kidney disease and the alternative labels used by GPs in Australia: a qualitative interview study.","authors":"Michelle Guppy, Esther Joy Bowles, Paul Glasziou, Jenny Doust","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0031","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Guidelines for terminology defining chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been in use for 20 years. Age is not currently considered in the guideline definition of CKD. In previous studies, GPs have been reluctant to give older patients the label of CKD.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To determine what language GPs are using to describe or label CKD with their older patients, and to explore the reasons for their use of alternative language.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>This was a descriptive qualitative interview study of Australian GPs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Twenty-seven GPs were recruited via email and interviewed regarding their management of CKD. GPs were asked what language and terminology they used when discussing a diagnosis of CKD with their older patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>'Labelling of CKD', the language that GPs use when talking about CKD with their patients, emerged as a major theme from the initial GP interviews. Sub-themes emerged, including types of alternative labels and rationale for alternative labels. GPs used descriptions of 'reduced kidney function' to explain CKD to their patients, either in parallel with the diagnosis of CKD or instead of it. GPs had concerns about the words 'chronic' and 'disease', and used different terminology to explain these words to patients when diagnosing them with CKD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>GPs use alternative descriptions to explain mild decrease in kidney function with older patients. Alternative labels that denote level of risk to older patients, without creating unnecessary concern about normal age-related kidney function, need to be explored.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141898490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Planetary health in action: developing a heatwave vulnerability tool for primary care.","authors":"Karolina Griffiths, Paul Basso-Bert, Mireille Abraham, Elise Chin, Layana Caroupaye-Caroupin, Manal Ahikki, Emilie Agrech, Camille Debrock, Rim Sabri, Grégoire Mercier, François Carbonnel","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0089","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0089","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heatwaves are becoming longer and more frequent. Despite the availability of open environmental data, little is operable and formatted for primary care use.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To create a user-friendly online mapping tool to assess the vulnerability of communities to heatwaves for use by primary care practitioners. This study questioned what knowledge needed to be deployed, who needed to participate, and how the knowledge should be shared.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>A participatory action-research project based on knowledge mobilisation (KM) in France, as part of the Green Data for Health Challenge.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Knowledge was summarised on the factors most affecting heatwave vulnerability in a collaborative process, enabling a consensus on data variables and mobilised content for the online tool. Purposive sampling included primary care stakeholders with Regional Health Agencies (Agence Régionale de Santé; ARS), Public Health France (Santé Publique France; SPF), and data scientists.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nineteen participants took part in 10 co-construction meetings, a brainstorming carousel strategy, and five weekly co-creation meetings between December 2022 and June 2023. The heatwave vulnerability variable was constructed using surface temperature, social deprivation, vegetation coverage, and presence of air-conditioning equipment. Identified experts mobilised data on the national composite indicator at the communal level for heatwave morbidity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is no standard platform for sharing environmental data in France. This co-creation study offers a new approach to incorporating environmental data on heatwaves into primary care consultations. We demonstrate the importance of KM in primary care to bridge the research-practice gap. Integrating primary care records with environmental data may promote broader applications for planetary health research.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142406998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Do marked discharge summaries with recommendation text boxes enhance patient safety? A nationwide survey.","authors":"Thorbjørn H Mikkelsen, Jesper B Nielsen, Maria M Storsveen, Jens Søndergaard","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0037","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Danish hospital physicians are required to mark their discharge summaries addressing whether the patient's GP is recommended to follow-up the patient, as well as suggesting follow-up actions.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate whether a new form of discharge summaries may contribute to improving perceived patient safety following transition from hospitals to general practice.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>A questionnaire sent to a representative sample of GPs in Denmark.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A questionnaire was prepared for GPs based on background material, focus group interviews, and discussions with relevant professionals. It was subsequently pilot tested by fellow researchers and GPs, and revised before the presently reported survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 310 participating GPs, 197 (63%) 'totally agree' or 'partly agree' that the marked discharge summaries (MDS) with a recommendation text box contribute to a better handover to general practice, and 223 (72%) 'totally agree' or 'partly agree' that they improve patient safety.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The majority of responding GPs believe that the MDS with a recommendation text box enhance patient safety and facilitate the transition of care to general practice following hospital discharge.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142376141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Action on elevated natriuretic peptide in primary care: a retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Cornelia Jc Vermeer, Monika Hollander, Anne Jm Stolk, Amy Groenewegen, Geert-Jan Geersing, Frans H Rutten, Huberta E Hart","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0017","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are released by increased ventricular wall stress, most often caused by heart failure (HF). NP level measurement helps select patients clinically suspected of HF who need echocardiography. Yet, the diagnostic actions following NP testing in daily primary care are poorly studied.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To assess the diagnostic actions taken by GPs in patients with an elevated NP level.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Retrospective observational study in general practices in The Netherlands.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In patients with an elevated NP level between July 2017 and July 2022, diagnostic actions were collected during 3 months following NP testing. We compared patients with an elevated NP level referred for echocardiography with those not referred by univariable analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 902 patients, 394 (43.7%) had an elevated NP level. Median age was 75.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 18.0) years; 68.8% were female. In total, 166 (42.1%) were referred for echocardiography and 114 (28.9%) underwent additional electrocardiogram (ECG) recording. In total, <i>n</i> = 30/166 (18.1%) referred patients were labelled HF by the cardiologist within 3 months after NP testing compared with <i>n</i> = 29/228 (12.7%) not referred. Referred patients were compared with those not referred and they were found to be younger (69.7 versus 74.1 years, <i>P</i><0.001), were less often known to cardiologists (45.8% versus 62.3%, <i>P</i> = 0.002), and they had lower marginally elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels (35-50 pg/ml) (19.3% versus 36.6%, <i>P</i><0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Three out of five patients with an elevated NP level are not referred for echocardiography by GPs. Barriers to refer patients were older age, a marginally elevated BNP value, and already being under supervision of a cardiologist.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142134111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic information in GP referral letters to a memory clinic: a retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Demi Ronner, Dorien Oostra, Jurgen Claassen, Edo Richard, Marieke Perry","doi":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0065","DOIUrl":"10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dementia diagnostics can often be performed in primary care, yet older people with memory complaints are frequently referred to memory clinics (MCs).</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To compare diagnostic information in GP referral letters of patients with and without an eventual dementia diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Design & setting: </strong>Retrospective cohort study in a Dutch academic MC.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We collected electronic health record (EHR) data of consecutive patients aged ≥65 years referred by their GP between 2016 and 2020. EHR data included patient characteristics, diagnostic information in referral letters, ancillary investigations performed at the MC, and established diagnoses. We performed χ² tests to compare groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 651 patients included, the average age was 78.0 years (standard deviation 6.8) and 348 (53.5%) were diagnosed with dementia. Most people with dementia were diagnosed without ancillary investigations (<i>n</i> = 235/348, 67.5%). In GP referral letters of people with dementia compared with people without dementia, a collateral history, any physical examination, a differential diagnosis including dementia, a Mini-Mental State Examination score, interference with daily functioning, and decline from previous levels of functioning were mentioned more often. Furthermore, the more diagnostic criteria mentioned in the referral letter, the more often dementia was diagnosed at the MC (no criteria: 35.4%; one criterion: 47.3%; two criteria: 53.4%; three criteria: 69.9%; and four or five criteria: 83.3%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>GPs often correctly mention diagnostic information and dementia criteria in referral letters of people with dementia, and they are often diagnosed without ancillary investigations. This suggests that referral is often unnecessary, and GPs can be empowered to diagnose dementia themselves.</p>","PeriodicalId":36541,"journal":{"name":"BJGP Open","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142019039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}