Optimal Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship in General Practice

SUMMARY The OptimasGP study is a two-arm superiority cluster-randomised Hybrid type 3 pragmatic implementation trial to promote the use of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions by doctors in general practice treating adults with respiratory tract infections.

The implementation strategies used in the trial will be delivered using a Virtual Network (arm 1) and Integrated Network (arm 2) approach. Data collection will collected for five months during winter for the baseline period, followed by implementation activities, and five months in the following winter post-activities.

The primary study outcome is AMS intervention use per 100 consultations. Secondary objectives are based on the RE-AIM framework for reach, efficacy, implementation, adoption, and maintenance of the implementation.

SETTING The study sites for the implementation study comprise 40 general practices across New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and Victoria in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS Participants include 120 general practice (family practice) doctors, 40 practice staff, and patients with respiratory tract infections. Informed consent will be obtained from participating doctors and practice staff in written form by members of the research team. Approximately half of participants will be recruited in 2025, with the remainder recruited in 2026.

Patients will be sent invitations to participate in the study by practice staff via SMS. For patient surveys, completion of surveys will constitute tacit consent. For patients in the case-studies sub-group, informed consent will be obtained in written form by members of the research team.

There are two subgroups. In the first subgroup, three sites from each arm will be elected for the nested case-study (individual semi-structured interviews). For each site, interviewers will construct case studies consisting of 6-8 participants (e.g., 2 doctors, 1-2 practice nurses, 1 practice manager, and 4 ARI patients per case).

In the second subgroup, 3 sites per arm (6-9 doctors) will be provided with FebriDx point of care tests to identify if respiratory tract infections are bacterial or viral in origin. These tests have been approved by the USA FDA (K230917) and by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (ref 346636).

Recruitment and retention will be facilitated by payments to participants.

INTERVENTION RESOURCES Participating doctors will be provided AMS interventions in an online AMS Toolbox (see the latest version at https://redcap.uow.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=37HKC3KFMLED7PY7) which they may use when treating eligible patients. The Toolbox will contain AMS interventions resource for shared decision-making between doctors and patients, delayed prescribing, and clinical decision support (including guidance for using FebriDx point of care devices for relevant members of the subgroup).

IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES Both arms will complete ~7 hours of implementation activities. These activities will be provided by MedCast, an established provider of ongoing health professional education in Australia.

Participants in the Virtual arm will receive online self-paced education modules, guided self-audit and reflection regarding antimicrobial stewardship and use of AMS Toolbox components, and reinforcement podcasts.

Participants randomised to the Integrated Network arm will receive education delivered by live interactive online webinar-based sessions, peer-group audit and reflection, and reinforcement online forum participation.

DATA COLLECTION Doctors complete data entry using the AMS Toolbox by selecting if they used an intervention, which intervention was used, and whether an antibiotic was prescribed for immediate use, delayed use, or not prescribed. In addition, the number of patients seen by each doctor will be collected based on a fortnightly record of practice records using surveys.

Demographic data will be collected using online surveys.

Patients will completed patient-reported outcome measures and patient reported experience measures using online surveys. Interviews of the nested-case study sub-group will be qualitative in nature.

All surveys will using REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) forms hosted at the University of Wollongong.

RISKS As this study has a low risk of harm or death, and as no interim analyses are planned, the study will not have a Data Safety Monitoring Board. Harms will be recorded through PROMs and direct reports from participating doctors. Harms such as re-consultations and hospitalizations reported to the research team will be discussed with an independent data monitor. This monitor can cease the study at any time if concerns arise. No interim analysis is planned and thus no stopping guidelines are provided.