Peter J Veazie1, Feng Qian. 1. Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA. peter_veazie@urmc.rochester.edu
Abstract
RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: It is well established that clinical inertia generates suboptimal care in patients with chronic diseases, and policies and interventions have yet to satisfactorily address the problem. METHODS: This paper integrates the relevant literatures on clinical inertia and Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) from psychology to identify an actionable explanatory mechanism. RESULTS: We review RFT and show that it provides a mechanism that may explain key provider contributions to clinical inertia. We then identify two general intervention strategies based on RFT: one that changes individual sensitivity to positive/negative outcomes and another that maintains the sensitivity to positive/negative outcome but frames how information is provided to match the sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that RFT is a plausible explanation to guide the development of policies and interventions for mitigating clinical inertia.
RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: It is well established that clinical inertia generates suboptimal care in patients with chronic diseases, and policies and interventions have yet to satisfactorily address the problem. METHODS: This paper integrates the relevant literatures on clinical inertia and Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) from psychology to identify an actionable explanatory mechanism. RESULTS: We review RFT and show that it provides a mechanism that may explain key provider contributions to clinical inertia. We then identify two general intervention strategies based on RFT: one that changes individual sensitivity to positive/negative outcomes and another that maintains the sensitivity to positive/negative outcome but frames how information is provided to match the sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that RFT is a plausible explanation to guide the development of policies and interventions for mitigating clinical inertia.