Evaluation of Therapeutic Initiative's Cystitis Portrait and Therapeutics Letter

This study is a randomized trial testing the effectiveness of personalized prescribing Portraits and Therapeutics Letters on appropriate treatment for uncomplicated acute cystitis (urinary tract infection) in the primary care setting in the province of British Columbia (B.C.) between September, 2021 and March, 2022.

Approximately 5,000 B.C. physicians were randomly divided into 3 arms (each representing ~ 33%) that received the Portrait and Therapeutics Letter at different times. Approximately 1,691 physicians were randomized to each group. This "designed delay" will enable evaluation of the impact of Portraits and Therapeutics Letters on prescribing at an aggregate level across the province of British Columbia.

On the initial mailing (September 23, 2021), Early Letter + Portrait Arm received a early Portrait (P) + Letter (L), Delayed Control Arm received nothing, and Early Letter Arm received an Early Letter Only. On the delayed mailing (March 28, 2022), both Early Letter Arm and Delayed Control Arm received a delayed Portrait (P) + Letter (L).

Within the study and across these groups, there will be four comparisons as follows:

During the study period (Sept 23, 2021 to Mar 28, 2022):

i. Early Letter + Portrait Arm vs Delayed Control Arm (to test the impact of L+P combined) ii. Early Letter + Portrait Arm vs Early Letter Arm (to test the the added impact of P in physicians who received L) iii. Early Letter Arm vs Delayed Control Arm (to test the the impact of L)

During the study period (Sept 23, 2021 to Sept 28, 2022):

iv. Delayed Control Arm vs Early Letter Arm (to test the impact of repeated messaging)

The analysis will identify:

• Baseline Characteristics: Physicians and Patients by Study Group. Age (mean, sd), age groups, sex, urban vs rural.
• Trends: monthly prescribing line chart for all of B.C. of Nitrofurantoin, Ciprofloxacin, and Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), from 1 year prior to first mailing (September 23, 2021) to the end of the delay period (September 2022). This will illustrate background trends in prescribing patterns.
• Relative Risk: Prescribing in the early and delayed intervention groups will be compared 6 months pre/post intervention. A four-way comparison of numerators during the pre/post periods between the early and delay groups will provide an odds ratio that approximates the relative risk.

Inclusion criteria

Physicians who are:

i. Registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. (CPSBC) ii. Defined as a General Practitioner or Family Practice - Emergency Medicine according to the B.C. Ministry of Health's Medical Services Plan (MSP) with a license status of private practice, temporary license, salaried, or post graduate.

iii. Hold a valid mailing address in B.C according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia's public physician information.

iv. Had >=100 prescriptions filled at a community pharmacy in 2020 according to PharmaNet claims.

v. Diagnosed >= 1 eligible patient with Uncomplicated Acute Cystitis (UAC) in 2019 or 2020 (for delay group: 2020 to 2021

Exclusion criteria

Non-physicians, or physicians who:

i. Were not registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. (CPSBC) ii. Were not classified as a General Practitioner or Family Practice - Emergency Medicine according to the B.C. Ministry of Health's Medical Services Plan (MSP) with a license status of private practice, temporary license, salaried, or post graduate.

iii. Had an invalid mailing address in B.C according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia's public physician information.

iv. Had <=100 prescriptions filled at a community pharmacy in 2020 according to PharmaNet claims.

v. Diagnosed <= 1 eligible patient with Uncomplicated Acute Cystitis (UAC) in 2019 or 2020 (for delay group: 2020 to 2021