Table 1

Characteristics of patient materials

Short titleObjectiveNumber of pagesClinical contextMedical specialty
Prevention
 Preventing infections48Reduce the unnecessary use of urinary catheters and ulcer drugs2Acute diseaseInternal medicine
Screening topics
 Check-ups37Reduce the unnecessary use of annual health check-ups2No disease specifiedFamily medicine
 Lower back pain38Reduce the unnecessary use of imaging tests for lower back pain2Chronic diseasePhysical therapy and rehabilitation
 Bone-density tests39Reduce the unnecessary use of bone-density tests2Chronic diseaseOrthopaediology
 Colonoscopy40Reduce the unnecessary use of colonoscopy2Chronic diseaseOncology
 Electrocardiogram41Reduce the unnecessary use of electrocardiogram2Chronic diseaseCardiology
 Pap tests42Reduce the unnecessary use of pap tests2Chronic diseaseOncology
 Low-risk prostate cancer43Reduce the unnecessary use of treatments such as surgery and radiation and to increase the use of ‘active surveillance’ for people with low-risk prostate cancer2Chronic diseaseOncology
 Heart tests before surgery44Reduce the unnecessary use of heart tests before surgery2No disease specifiedCardiology
 Laboratory tests before surgery45Reduce the unnecessary use of laboratory tests before surgery2No disease specifiedMedical biochemistry
 Vitamin D tests46Reduce the unnecessary use of vitamin D tests2No disease specifiedMedical biochemistry
 Imaging tests for headaches47Reduce the unnecessary use of imaging tests for headaches2Acute diseaseNeurology
Treatment topics
 Chronic kidney disease25Reduce the unnecessary use of anaemia drugs and dialysis for people with chronic kidney disease3Chronic diseaseNephrology
 Feeding tubes26Reduce the unnecessary use of feeding tubes for people with Alzheimer's disease2Chronic diseaseGastroenterology
 Dementia27Reduce the unnecessary use of antipsychotics for treating disruptive behaviour in people with dementia2Chronic diseasePsychiatry
 End of life28Reduce the unnecessary use of treatment for patients with advanced cancer and to promote end-of-life care2Chronic diseaseOncology
 GERD29Reduce the unnecessary use of PPI for treating heart burn and GERD2Chronic diseaseGastroenterology
 Osteoarthritis30Reduce the unnecessary use of popular supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for treating osteoarthritis of the knee2Chronic diseaseRheumatology
 Pain medicines31Reduce the unnecessary use of NSAIDs to relieve pain for people with heart problems or kidney disease2Chronic diseaseFamily medicine
 Palliative care32Increase the use of palliative care for people with a serious illness2Chronic diseaseMultiple specialities
 Sinusitis33Reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics for treating sinusitis2Acute diseaseFamily medicine
 Insomnia and anxiety34Reduce the unnecessary use of sleeping pills for treating insomnia and anxiety in older people2Chronic diseasePsychiatry
 ED35Reduce the unnecessary use of testosterone treatment for erection problems2Chronic diseaseUrology
 UTIs36Reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics to treat UTIs2Acute diseaseUrology

  • ED, erectile dysfunction; GERD, gastro-oesophageal reflux; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PPI, proton-pump inhibitor; UTI, urinary tract infection.