title: Factors associated with clinical inertia: an integrative review.
abstract: Failure to initiate or intensify therapy according to evidence-based guidelines is increasingly being acknowledged as a phenomenon that contributes to inadequate management of chronic conditions, and is referred to as clinical inertia. However, the number and complexity of factors associated with the clinical reasoning that underlies the decision-making processes in medicine calls for a critical examination of the consistency of the concept. Indeed, in the absence of information on and justification of treatment decisions that were made, clinical inertia may be only apparent, and actually reflect good clinical practice. This integrative review seeks to address the factors generally associated with clinical inaction, in order to better delineate the concept of true clinical inertia.
authors.affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute of Health and Society, Brussels.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aujoulat
authors.affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute of Health and Society, Brussels.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacquemin
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases and Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent.
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rietzschel
authors.affiliation: University of Liège, Division of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Disorders and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CHU Liège, Liège.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheen
authors.affiliation: Société Scientifique de Médecine Générale, Brussels.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tréfois
authors.affiliation: University of Antwerp, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Primary and Interdisciplinary Care Antwerp.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wens
authors.affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute of Health and Society, Brussels.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Darras
authors.affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research and Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Michel P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hermans
keywords: clinical decision; clinical inertia; concept clarification; evidence-based medicine; integrative review; physician adherence to guidelines