Dissemination of guidelines on cholesterol. Effect on patterns of practice of general practitioners and family physicians in Ontario. Ontario Task Force on the Use and Provision of Medical Services.

A telephone survey of a random sample of Ontario family physicians was conducted 6 to 8 months after disseminating evidence-based guidelines for screening and managing asymptomatic hypercholesterolemia. Seventy-eight percent of respondents stated they followed these guidelines. However, specific questions revealed as few as 5% of respondents actually followed the guidelines.