Health department’s nudge letter study ignored ‘ethical rights’ of GPs: Lancet letter
A Lancet journal has published a letter by three prominent Australian GPs saying a Federal Government-funded study that involved sending GPs ‘nudge letters’ failed to respect doctors’ rights.
The study, published in The Lancet Primary Care in April, showed that GPs who received letters saying they were in the 90th percentile for ordering particular tests or test batteries reduced orders for those tests by 36% in the next six months.
The RACGP, ACRRM and the AMA provided feedback on the style of the letters, which were signed by then chief medical officer Professor Paul Kelly.
The 5964 GPs who received letters, as well as 625 GPs in the 90th percentile who were used as controls and did not receive letters, were not told they were part of a study.
