title: Information and Communication Technologies for the Dissemination of Clinical Practice Guidelines to Health Professionals: A Systematic Review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transfer of research knowledge into clinical practice can be a continuous challenge for researchers. Information and communication technologies, such as websites and email, have emerged as popular tools for the dissemination of evidence to health professionals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this systematic review was to identify research on health professionals' perceived usability and practice behavior change of information and communication technologies for the dissemination of clinical practice guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a systematic approach to retrieve and extract data about relevant studies. We identified 2248 citations, of which 21 studies met criteria for inclusion; 20 studies were randomized controlled trials, and 1 was a controlled clinical trial. The following information and communication technologies were evaluated: websites (5 studies), computer software (3 studies), Web-based workshops (2 studies), computerized decision support systems (2 studies), electronic educational game (1 study), email (2 studies), and multifaceted interventions that consisted of at least one information and communication technology component (6 studies).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Website studies demonstrated significant improvements in perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, but not for knowledge, reducing barriers, and intention to use clinical practice guidelines. Computer software studies demonstrated significant improvements in perceived usefulness, but not for knowledge and skills. Web-based workshop and email studies demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, perceived usefulness, and skills. An electronic educational game intervention demonstrated a significant improvement from baseline in knowledge after 12 and 24 weeks. Computerized decision support system studies demonstrated variable findings for improvement in skills. Multifaceted interventions demonstrated significant improvements in beliefs about capabilities, perceived usefulness, and intention to use clinical practice guidelines, but variable findings for improvements in skills. Most multifaceted studies demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that health professionals' perceived usability and practice behavior change vary by type of information and communication technology. Heterogeneity and the paucity of properly conducted studies did not allow for a clear comparison between studies and a conclusion on the effectiveness of information and communication technologies as a knowledge translation strategy for the dissemination of clinical practice guidelines.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Gino
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2099-9870
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4747-9982
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4530-9987
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4802-6539
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McEwan
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0484-1205
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Laurianne
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7059-8859
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Loew
authors.affiliation: School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: George A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2289-9139
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9587-7504
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brosseau
keywords: Web 2.0; electronic mail; email; health information technologies; health professions; information dissemination; practice guidelines