14 minute read
The power of SoMe for dissemination of clinical practice guidelines
Dr. Nikita Bhatt East of England Deanery Cambridge (GB) On behalf of the EAU Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee nikitarb89@ gmail.com
Advertisement
The European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines Office has appointed a Dissemination Committee to increase awareness of the guidelines with the ultimate aim of improving adherence to them, and advancing patient care. The Committe is composed of a scientific committee, a marketing expert, and a community manager (Figure 1). Through the work of this committee, the EAU became the first scientific association to systematically convert clinical practice guidelines (CPG) into social media (SoMe) posts for dissemination. This was published in the form of a proof-of-principle study on the use of Twitter as a platform for the dissemination and real-time evaluation of clinical guidelines in 2017. [1]
Figure 1: Infographic illustrating the strategy of the European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee.
It was recommended that other professional societies use these strategies to increase the reach and obtain rapid feedback on guidelines recommendations. The committee has now expanded its reach to include other SoMe platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. However, the current role of SoMe for this purpose is not well known.
CPG, such as the EAU Guidelines, are invaluable to clinical practice as they help in clinical decisionmaking using evidence-based medicine along with patient’s personal circumstances, values and preferences. However, despite their utility and advantages, the compliance to clinical guidelines is variable. In urology, adherence to various international guidelines issued by EAU, American Urology Association and National Comprehensive Cancer Network leaves room for improvement. CPG uptake does not occur spontaneously and requires active execution, especially for long-term implementation.
Information dissemination in the medical field has been transformed by the advent of SoMe. These new communication technologies enable rapid and global information exchange among physicians, patients, organizations and other stakeholders. SoMe use can also have its limitations, including ethical implications for use in a healthcare setting with a need to protect patient privacy and confidentiality. However, if the power of SoMe is harnessed correctly, it can pave the way to unprecedented opportunities for CPG dissemination. CPGs represent an ideal source of information to promote on these platforms. However, there is a knowledge gap in the medical literature concerning existence and effectiveness of digital dissemination strategies for CPGs.
With this context in mind, the EAU Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee conducted a systematic review on the role of SoMe in CPG dissemination across different medical specialties, which has been recently published on European Urology Focus. [2] Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases and the general platform Google were searched for all relevant publications using PRISMA guidelines. Only 5 studies were included after full text review. SoMe use for CPG dissemination is, in fact, a relatively new concept and all our included studies were published in the last 5 years. The specialties using SoMe for CPG dissemination included Neurology (complementary and alternative medicine in Multiple Sclerosis), Gastroenterology (Helycobacter pylori treatment), Anaesthesia (guidelines on National Tracheostomy Safety Project), Cardiology (Chronic Heart Failure) and Urology (EAU Guidelines). The included studies were a mixture of observational studies and pre/post interventional studies. The search strategy did not identify comparative, randomised or non-randomised trials, testing SoMe-based or other digital methods of CPG dissemination or implementation. There was a significant improvement in knowledge, awareness, compliance, and positive behaviours with respect to the CPG with use of the SoMe dissemination
Adapted from Pradere B, Esperto F, van Oort IM, et al. Dissemination of the European Association of Urology Guidelines Through Social Media: Strategy, Results, and Future Developments. Eur Urol Focus. 2021 Nov 10:S2405-4569(21)00289-3. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2021.10.010. Online ahead of print.
compared to traditional methods. Owing to the recent application of SoMe in the context of CPG dissemination, there is no standardized format for its use. All studies included in the review reported very different methods of SoMe use and similarly variable methods of analysing the outcomes. As a common finding, a large audience (healthcare professionals and patients) viewed, and engaged with, the SoMe process of CPG dissemination, and expressed an intent to engage in this method in the future, further affirming its vital role in CPG dissemination.
In conclusion, the EAU Guidelines Office have pioneered the use of SoMe in dissemination of clinical guidelines. In order to investigate this in other specialties the Dissemination Committee published a first of its kind systematic review on use of SoMe for dissemination of CPG. This showed that SoMe use has an impact as it led to significantly increased awareness of the CPG, knowledge of the CPG and change in attitude with regards the CPG with no negative outcomes reported so far. Based on this publication, a pragmatic method of using SoMe for CPG dissemination has been proposed (Figure 2). Considering the importance of CPG in practice and the ever-increasing role of SoMe in our professional lives, a new role for SoMe in CPG dissemination could be established. In the future, as the SoMe use in this context expands, comparative studies and randomized trials comparing SoMe to traditional methods of dissemination would be useful to determine its impact on dissemination and implementation. In the meantime, the EAU Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee continues its work in introducing novel ways and improving the application of SoMe in the dissemination of EAU Guidelines internationally.
References
1. Loeb S, Roupret M, Van Oort I, N'dow J, Van Gurp M,
Bloemberg J, Darraugh J, Ribal MJ. Novel use of Twitter to disseminate and evaluate adherence to clinical guidelines by the European Association of Urology. BJU
Int. 2017 Jun;119(6):820-822. doi: 10.1111/bju.13802. Epub 2017 Mar 10. 2. Bhatt NR, Czarniecki SW, Borgmann H, van Oort IM,
Esperto F, Pradere B, van Gurp M, Bloemberg J, Darraugh
J, Rouprêt M, Loeb S, N'Dow J, Ribal MJ, Giannarini G;
EAU Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee. A
Systematic Review of the Use of Social Media for
Dissemination of Clinical Practice Guidelines. Eur Urol
Focus. 2021 Sep;7(5):1195-1204. doi: 10.1016/j. euf.2020.10.008. Epub 2020 Nov 7.
Appendix Current members of the European Association of Urology Guidelines Office Dissemination Committee are: Nikita R. Bhatt, Vito Cucchiara, Esther Garcia Rojo, Benjamin Pradere, Jeremy Y. Teoh, Elisabeth Hesston, Jarka Bloemberg, Julie Darraugh, Marc Van Gurp, Maria J. Ribal and Gianluca Giannarini (chair). Crafting a winning scientific programme .... 1 Update from the Guidelines office .........2 The power of SoMe for dissemination of clinical practice guidelines ...............3 EAU policy update .....................6 ERN eUROGEN Exchange ................6 Clinical challenge ......................7 Key articles from international medical journals .......................... 8-11 Patient Information: What have we learned? 12
History of face masks in medicine ......... 13 Obituary: Christopher Griffith Wood ....... 13 ESUO: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in urology ........................... 14 ESU section: An overview of ESU masterclasses in 2021 .. 15 Hybrid 8th CEUEP delivers urolithiasis, BCa & PCa updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 E-BLUS course in Gijón: A new model for online evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 “The virtual ESU courses are a way out during a pandemic” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 ESU Urology Boot Camp Serbia 2021 . . . . . . 19 21st RSU congress offers expansive urology fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Virtual ESU-ESFFU Masterclass on Functional Urology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Virtual ESU course focuses on upper tract laparoscopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ESU Urology Boot Camp Lisbon 2021 . . . . . . 21 GPC: “Improving urological education in the developing world” ................... 22 PCombi adds data to potential role for estrogens in PCa ..................... 22 YAU: More opportunities for young urologists in PCa research ............. 23 YAU meets at EMUC21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
PI: The right information at the right time can save lives ....................... 24
ESUR21: An excellent platform to discuss urology research ..................... 26 European Board of Urology welcomes new President .......................... 26
Virtual PCa21 delivers vital updates on PCa management ....................... 27 Obituary: Sergio Musitelli .............. 27 ERUS 2021: A Breakthrough year for new robotic systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 EMUC21: Multidisciplinary updates from diverse fields ....................... 30
ESFFU: Management of post-prostatectomy incontinence ......................... 31
Urology Week 2021: International effort against incontinence taboo ............. 32 ESOU22: Principal topics, expectations and COVID-19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Introducing UROtech22: A new meeting for 2022 ........................... 33
Obituary: Stefan Loening .............. 34 EAUN section: “We have fought for an independent nursing framework" .................. 34 Prostate cancer care and exercise . . . . . . . 35 Sexocorporel: Clinical sexology in urological context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Post-EAUN webinar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
EAU22: An eco-friendly congress
Educating and empowering patients in extraordinary times
Thanks to its relatively small size for a European capital, Amsterdam is naturally suited to ecofriendly ways of getting around. The city has a dense public transport network and is easily traversed on foot or by bicycle. To support that sustainable character of Amsterdam, the EAU will offer several eco-friendly features during its 37th Annual Congress (EAU22) from 18 to 21 March 2022 in the RAI Amsterdam congress venue.
If you travel from Belgium, France, Germany, or England to Amsterdam, consider taking one of the many high-speed rail options. Amsterdam is connected to several Belgian, French, and German cities by convenient high-speed services. Plus, Amsterdam has a Eurostar terminal with a direct train connection to London.
Due to Amsterdam’s public transport network, travelling from Amsterdam Central Station to your accommodation will not be a problem; you can use the Dutch application 9292 or its equivalent website www.9292.nl/en/, also available in English, to plan your public transport trip. Equally, public transport is the more sustainable, cheaper, and faster option for travelling from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to the city.
The RAI is very easy to reach by public transport.
©Vervoerregio Amsterdam Reaching the RAI Amsterdam congress venue from your hotel will be an excellent opportunity to get your daily exercise by walking or cycling to and from the venue
Tap water in the Netherlands is safe to drink
Looking forward to an in-person EAU22 Congress in Amsterdam
The EAU22 Congress is optimistic to have an in-person, physical event from 18-21 March 2022 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. After almost two years into the pandemic, the EAU and its Patient Office have continuously sought innovative ways to connect and collaborate with patients and patient advocate groups. A testament of this commitment is the resounding success of the Patient Day held last 9 July 2021 at the EAU21 Virtual Congress.
Last year’s success served as a springboard for another meaningful and inclusive initiative this year. The EAU Patient Day which will be held on Monday, 21 March 2022 in Amsterdam with the primary goal of creating a platform for patients, their care support systems, and healthcare professionals to engage in a dialogue. It highlights the needs of patients and how their care support system and health care professionals address these needs and in turn improve their quality of life.
Preparations for the Patient Day are well underway as early as November 2021. Aside from the urological cancer-specific thematic sessions, a more general session is dedicated to quality of life and survivorship issues. A session on functional urology is also dedicated to incontinence concerns.
Programme The EAU22 Patient Day will include the following sessions: Bladder Cancer Session – led by the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC), the session will focus on developing patient information and support resources; Reaching the RAI congress venue from your hotel will be an excellent opportunity to get your daily exercise by walking or cycling to and from the venue. Cycling is popular among locals, and you can rent a bike throughout the city.
Alternatively, the RAI is also very easy to reach by public transport; for instance, it is a stop on the North-South metro line (metro line 52, stop ‘Europaplein’) that goes straight through the city’s historic centre and comes and goes every eight minutes. Use the aforementioned 9292 application or website to plan your journey.
The EAU is providing free four-day Transportation Passes to congress delegates. These can be picked up at the Transportation Desk located in the Registration Area. This ticket has a 96-hour validity from the first moment it is used. The travel card includes metro, bus, and tram services within Amsterdam. No need to ever use a taxi during your stay!
Eco-friendly tips Before EAU22 commences, make sure to download the EAU Association App. From mid February 2022, the EAU22 event will be available within the Association App. In this feature of the app, you can browse the EAU22 scientific programme and create your personal programme using the planner. Find session rooms and exhibitor booths by scrolling through the floor plans. Using the personal congress bag icon, you can save relevant links to digitally retrieve or review after the congress. Offline use of the app is possible. Download the EAU Association App for free in the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS). Please note that the traditional 600-page programme books will not be available anymore.
You can collect your EAU22 tote bag (goodies included) in the Registration Area in the congress venue. These bags are reusable, made of 100% organic cotton and, for the first time, printed with amusing urology-themed slogans. There are five
Kidney Cancer Session – headed by International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC), the session will bring together the importance of clinical trials and the improvement of communication between health care providers and kidney cancer patients;
Prostate Cancer Session – managed by Europa Uomo, the session will discuss the many aspects of revolution and/or evolution in prostate cancer diagnosis and care;
Life after Cancer Treatment Session – the session primarily aims to create a more holistic view of urological cancer, and how other stakeholders can take part in improving the quality of life of patients by promoting awareness about these issues that they face on a daily basis;
Functional Urology Session – led by World Federation for Incontinence and Pelvic Problems (WFIPP), the session will discuss sustainable continence care, living with incontinence, and reaching out to patients who lack digital and literacy skills.
Patient Poster Session – this year’s theme will be Addressing Unmet Needs, and will revolve around the following themes: • Physical and Psychological well-being; • Finance and Work; • Patient involvement in clinical research, and development of care pathways and clinical practice guidelines; and • Patient engagement/advocacy in healthcare policy You may also want to check the Patient Poster Session page on the EAU22 website for more information; different bags, so keep an eye out for one that tickles you.
RAI Amsterdam uses recycle bins. The bins are divided into paper, plastic, and organic waste. Please separate your waste so it can be recycled and/or disposed properly.
Finally, did you know that tap water in the Netherlands is safe to drink? Bring a bottle and refill it as many times as you want without the need for buying bottled waters with the associated waste. Don't have a bottle? Go to the EAU booth in the Exhibition Hall to buy a special EAU collector's item.
The EAU aims to make your experience in Amsterdam as eco-friendly as possible. By following these tips, we will be well on our way!
WFIPP Roundtable Discussion on Incontinence - the session will focus on future innovations in care and sustainability.
The information provided is still subject to change as the programme is still being finalised. Please keep an eye on the EAU22 or Patient Information website for more updates and we hope to see you in Amsterdam in March 2022!
For more information
www.eau22.org/patient www.eau22.org www.patients.uroweb.org/eau22
Patient Day
Monday, 21 March
• Bladder Cancer Session
• Kidney Cancer Session
• Prostate Cancer Session
• Life After Cancer Treatment
• Functional Urology Session
• Patient Poster Session
• WFIPP Roundtable Discussion on Incontinence
Visit www .eau22 .org/patients for more information.
Follow us:
