title: Ulcerative colitis outpatient management: development and evaluation of tools to support primary care practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current models of care for ulcerative colitis (UC) across healthcare systems are inconsistent with a paucity of existing guidelines or supportive tools for outpatient management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to produce and evaluate evidence-based outpatient management tools for UC to guide primary care practitioners and patients in clinical decision-making.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three tools were developed after identifying current gaps in the provision of healthcare services for patients with UC at a Clinical Insights Meeting in 2013. Draft designs were further refined through consultation and consolidation of feedback by the steering committee. Final drafts were developed following feasibility testing in three key stakeholder groups (gastroenterologists, general practitioners and patients) by questionnaire. The tools were officially launched into mainstream use in Australia in 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three quarters of all respondents liked the layout and content of each tool. Minimal safety concerns were aired and those, along with pieces of information that were felt to be omitted, that were reviewed by the steering committee and incorporated into the final documents. The majority (over 80%) of respondents felt that the tools would be useful and would improve outpatient management of UC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence-based outpatient clinical management tools for UC can be developed. The concept and end-product have been well received by all stakeholder groups. These tools should support non-specialist clinicians to optimise UC management and empower patients by facilitating them to safely self-manage and identify when medical support is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Nambour, Queensland.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Nambour General Hospital, Nambour, Queensland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buckton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Saint John of God Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.|School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lawrance
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Liver Services, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales.|Sydney Medical School, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.affiliation: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Services, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019468:Disease Management; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D010045:Outpatients; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: educational tool; inflammatory bowel disease; outpatient management; primary healthcare practitioner; ulcerative colitis