Clinical inertia in general practice, a matter of debate: a qualitative study with 114 general practitioners in Belgium

BACKGROUND: Prescribing that is not concordant with guidelines is increasingly referred to as clinical inertia (CI). However, CI may be only apparent, and the absence of decision may actually reflect appropriate inaction as a result of good clinical reasoning. Our study aimed to: (i) elucidate GPs' beliefs regarding CI and the risk of CI in their own practice, (ii) identify modifiable provider-related factors associated with CI. METHODS: We conducted 8 group interviews with 114 general practitioners (GP) in Belgium, and used an integrated approach of thematic analysis. RESULTS: Our results cal... Mehr ...