There is still room for improvement when it comes to the management of patients with dyspepsia. To improve the quality of care for patients with dyspepsia, the program “To do or not to do?” has started a national campaign to provide better information regarding the management of their dyspepsia problems, in which the pharmacist also plays an important role. Besides informing patients, general practitioners are also supported in reducing the amount of overdiagnosis and overtreatment in patients with dyspepsia.
A projectteam developed campaign materials consisting of an interactive decision-aid for patients and (digital) flyers and waiting room posters which draw attention to and promote the use of this decision-aid. Besides patient materials, there is also an e-learning available for general practitioners and pharmacotherapeutic resources (hand-outs, lectures, casuistic and knowledge tests) which could be used in deliberations between general practitioners and pharmacists.
In collaboration with Thuisarts.nl, “To do or not to do?” has developed an interactive decision-aid for patients with dyspepsia. The decision-aid provides information regarding dypepsia, functioning of the stomach and indications for which additional diagnostics are required. Apart from providing general information, the decision-aid also provides recommendations informing patients about what they could do themselves to address their dyspepsia complaints.
The available flyer stimulates patients to consult the available decision-aid. The decision-aid provides patients with more information regarding their dyspepsia complaints and personal advice regarding actions that could be undertaken by the patients themselves to reduce those.
For within the waiting-room A3 format poster are available (also digital), which also refer patients to the decision-aid.