What is it about?
This review looks at how healthcare professionals use clinical decision tools (CDTs) in urgent and primary care settings. These tools are meant to support decisions such as whether to order tests, start treatments, or refer patients. While CDTs can improve patient care and reduce unnecessary procedures, they are often not used correctly or consistently. From the literature search, three key barriers were identified: Time pressures – Many clinicians work under tight time limits, making it hard to use tools that require extra steps or time during a consultation. Perceived benefit – Some clinicians feel these tools don’t add value or are too rigid, preferring to rely on their own experience and judgment. Alert fatigue – Frequent on-screen alerts from computer systems can overwhelm clinicians, causing them to ignore or override important messages. There are also concerns about how well these tools are integrated into everyday systems, whether they interrupt workflow, and whether all healthcare staff are properly trained to use them. Some evidence suggests that there is variability in the use of these tools across different healthcare roles. Overall, the review suggests that while CDTs can be helpful, their use is limited by practical, psychological, and technological challenges. It recommends further research and better system design to help integrate these tools in a way that supports busy healthcare professionals without adding extra burden.
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Why is it important?
CDTs can help healthcare professionals make safer, faster, and more accurate decisions, especially in busy settings like urgent and primary care. When used properly, these tools can reduce unnecessary tests, improve diagnoses, and support evidence-based care. However, if they are underused or misused, patients may not receive the best possible treatment. Understanding the barriers to using these tools is crucial for improving their design, integration, and acceptance among clinicians. This can lead to better patient outcomes, more efficient use of resources, and safer healthcare overall.
Perspectives
As a healthcare professional, I’ve seen first-hand how clinical decision tools can improve care when used correctly—but also how often they are overlooked due to time pressures, unfamiliarity, or mistrust. Writing this paper allowed me to explore the challenges clinicians face when using these tools and why they’re not always embedded effectively in daily practice. I believe that by understanding these barriers, we can work toward better education, smarter integration into systems, and ultimately safer, more consistent care for patients. This topic matters to me because it directly impacts both the quality of care we provide and the experience of the clinicians delivering it.
Otto Schwalowsky
University of Hertfordshire
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Use of clinical decision tools across urgent and primary care: recognising barriers and challenges, International Journal for Advancing Practice, June 2025, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/ijap.2024.0059.
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