A randomized trial of Evidence-based OutReach (EBOR): Rationale and design

There is increasing interest in evaluating the methods used to implement th e findings from medical research. This paper describes the Evidence-based O utReach (EBOR) trial, which is the first large randomized study in the Unit ed Kingdom that will evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of education al outreach visits by trained pharmacists who are delivering messages deriv ed from four evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. General practices form the unit of allocation and analysis. The study design addresses impor tant factors that may influence the effectiveness of the intervention, such as the pharmacist who delivers the messages, the health authority in which practices are located, and the size of a practice. (C) Elsevier Science In c. 1999.