Bpac packs a lot into online resource

Out of Five Stars
High quality content  *****
Up to date  ****
Good presentation   *****
Level of unfettered access *****
Useful patient information ****
Interactive CME  *****

Website : www.bpac.org.nz

BPAC's been offering guidance to GPs for several years.  Jon Wilcox takes a look at what the organisation - best known as an acronym - offers online


Most of us will perhaps recall that first Best Tests mailing from the Best Practice Advocacy Centre (BPAC) late in 2005 on rationalising our thyroid function testing requests. Thus, after nearly four years of reliable disease, laboratory and therapeutics guidance it seemed opportune to look at where BPAC has come with its website and online resources over that time.

Part of the reason for picking BPAC this month was perhaps the notable pre-emptive strike they made with publishing the FRAX osteoporosis web-based tool late last year (reviewed in this column last month, New Zealand Doctor, 3 June) in their online and printed resources.

Not always getting the opportunity to fully peruse each and every one of their disconcertingly regular publications as they come in the door, I do tend to rely on collecting some of these documents and storing them somewhere for ready access - but sometimes the readiest access can actually be as online archives rather than in journal boxes.

The osteoporosis review which referred to the FRAX site is well worth a look for those who haven't had a chance to do so and also refers to screening tips for patients who don't actually have any apparent osteoporosis, in order to estimate lifetime fracture risk.

The other reason to access the BPAC website is to track down the excellent April 2009 article by Amanda Oakley on the management of acne including the rational use of isotretinoin. And, in last month's journal, BPAC has come out with a timely update and key point summary for the 2009 New Zealand Guidelines Group cardiovascular guidelines.

In case you are not fully aware already, BPAC puts out its journal (Best Practice) every month, though regular publishing dates can vary. The online archives index concentrates on major articles (including some POEM's), the Best Tests sibling publication, clinical audits (relating to our own practice profile), around 21 past CME quizzes and explanatory notes, downloadable patient advice printouts (only six at this stage), quick reference guides (eg, asthma, antibiotics, oral contraception, atrial fibrillation etc.), a variety of useful clinical tools (eg, lung age calculator, drink check guide, geriatric depression scale calculator and a number of diabetes management tools) and also a handbooks section (the only full one at this stage being the STI handbook).

The other important facility which the BPAC website provides is the ability for clinicians to upload (back to BPAC) a patient handout which they may have found very good - presumably ones written by themselves or on behalf of their practice - and which they might be keen to share with general practice teams around the country.

BPAC has also separately indexed its three plus years of content into pathophysiological systems, such as cardiac, endocrine, blood, genitourinary, infections, mental health, respiratory etc.

Overall, the website runs very well. It is quick and simple but does tend to prefer Internet Explorer to Firefox - it also does have a few cumbersome PDF documents scattered here and there which are clearly for perusal rather than printing and might do better in a more modern rapid-access web format such as Adobe Flash.

However, the general HTML print format is clear, well laid-out and easily absorbed by the reader. The articles (eg, dermatology) with colour images are of very good quality and are rapidly accessible within the articles.

BPAC is an independent organisation "committed to develop and distribute evidence-based resources which describe, facilitate and help overcome the barriers to best practice" and to "promote healthcare interventions which meet patients needs and are evidence-based, cost-effective and suitable for the New Zealand context".

Based in Dunedin, BPAC is supported by a team of around 10 program developers under the watchful eye of chief executive Murray Tilyard. It is a creation of its four primary care-based key shareholders - Procare Health, South Link Health, IPAC and the University of Otago and is currently funded through contracts with Pharmac and the national DHB support agency, DHBNZ.

In time perhaps the BPAC site may be a very good resource for a much wider range of disorders and management protocols assuming articles over three to four years old at least get an update or content review to maintain (and be seen to maintain) clinical relevance.