Effect of a Nationwide Teaching Program on the Frequency of Inappropriate Intravenous Lines in Internal Medicine: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nationwide multicentre randomized prospective controlled trial enrolling 59 french internal medicine departments. During the first study visit, we collected data of patients with intravenous infusions from each participating centre in order to determine the number and frequency of inappropriate intravenous lines. Using a computerized randomization process (on a 1:1 basis), the participating centres were randomized; Half centres (interventional group) received an educational program consisting of educational material and two educational sessions; the other half did not receive the educational program (control group). The educational program provided medical doctors with posters and slides containing information on valid indications for the prescription and use of intravenous infusions (inability to drink or eat, malabsorption, medication only available intravenously with no oral equivalent). Based on a previous pilot study, we assumed that the the frequency of inappropriate intravenous lines with be approximately 20% at baseline and hypothesize that the nationwide teaching program will decrease this frequency by 50%.