Introduction
The Quality of Care Taskforce of the United European Gastroenterology developed a GI Guidelines app to address the issue of healthcare providers struggling to keep track of the numerous available guidelines. The app provides easy access to updated guidelines on different fields of gastroenterology. This study aims to evaluate the app's impact on healthcare providers' awareness and adherence to guidelines through a survey
Aims & Methods
This study aims to evaluate the app's impact on healthcare providers' awareness and adherence to guidelines through a survey. The survey was disseminated to both app users and non-users, with 1377 responses collected. The questions were designed to provide valuable insights into the user base of the GI Guidelines app and the potential gap to be filled to improve current clinical practice. The participants' demographic information, including their sex, age, training status, years of practice, and geographic distribution, was collected. The survey also asked app users about their familiarity with the guidelines, their usage of the app, and its usability. Moreover, the survey solicited suggestions from app users on how to improve the app and what guidelines they would like to see included. Non-app users were asked about their use of guidelines in clinical practice and their reasons for not using the app.
Results
The survey results showed that the app was widely used by clinicians, with 975 out of 1377 app users reporting daily use. App users were most familiar with endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver content guidelines. The app was perceived as user-friendly and easy to navigate, with a mean rating of 76.56 and a median of 80 (out of a max of 100). App users provided valuable feedback on how to improve the app, including content-related and technical improvements. Most non-app users still reported using guidelines in their clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of guidelines in healthcare.
Conclusion
The GI Guidelines app developed by the UEG QOC taskforce is a valuable tool for healthcare providers in their day-to-day practice. The survey results provide insights into the app's usage, its impact on healthcare providers' awareness and adherence to guidelines, and suggestions for its improvement. These insights can help the taskforce improve the app and increase awareness and adherence to guidelines, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients with gastrointestinal disorders.
