Primary care and referring physician perspectives on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease management: a nationwide survey.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-20-2021

Publication Title

Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology

Abstract

Introduction: The optimal approach to screening and risk stratification for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is challenging given disease burden and variable progression. The aim of this study was to assess primary care physician and referring physician practice patterns regarding non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods: An anonymous nationwide survey was administered to primary care physicians, endocrinologists, and cardiologists in a: (1) tertiary academic hospital, (2) community hospital, and (3) the American College of Physicians Insider Panel. Survey domains assessed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease knowledge, recommendations for screening, risk stratification, treatment, and referral patterns.

Results: A total of 440 providers completed the survey (35.2% completion rate;

Conclusion: In this nationwide survey, we demonstrated that while overall disease knowledge was good, there was an important disconnect between current guidelines and real-world clinical practice. There is also significant heterogeneity in practice patterns for first-line therapy of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the majority of provider's report barriers to treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These findings highlight the potential role for reevaluating screening and risk stratification recommendations in primary care to better align with needs in that setting.

Volume

14

First Page

17562848211042200

DOI

10.1177/17562848211042200

ISSN

1756-283X

PubMed ID

34567270

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