Tool developed to help GPs manage menopause

A new tool for the management of menopause, which can be fully integrated into existing practice software, has been developed to help GPs talk through different treatment options with their patients.
 
Developed by researchers at Monash University, the MenoPROMPT program consists of two parts – a patient-facing pre-consultation tool and a clinical decision support tool.
 
Dr Caroline McBride, who is doing a PhD as a part of this project, hopes MenoPROMPT will open up conversations about treatment.
 
‘The clinical decision support tool acts as an “aide-memoire” – there is a such a long list of contra-indications,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘GPs know this, but it is impossible to remember and identify every one – so it just acts as a little reminder.’
 
Dr McBride said the pre-consultation tool was ‘really well received by both women and GPs’ throughout its development.
 
The researchers behind the project found Australian GPs ‘lack skills and confidence in managing menopause’ and that patients are often recommended ‘unproven and ineffective complementary and alternative medicines’ before being prescribed menopausal hormone therapy.
 
They say women often rely on self-help to manage their menopause symptoms and view hormone therapy negatively.
 
‘This situation has arisen from over two decades of widespread conflicting, and often frightening, information about menopause treatment to healthcare providers and the community, combined with omission of menopause from many undergraduate and postgraduate training programs,’ they stated.
 
Dr McBride says not all women will want to pursue treatment, but ‘they just want to know their experiences are normal’.
 
‘Women want to talk about menopause,’ she said.
 
‘However, many don’t know how to bring it up – they want to be asked.
 
‘We hope women who want to talk about menopause further to feel empowered to continue the conversation.’
 
The MenoPROMPT researchers found more than 75% of Australian women experience hot flushes and night sweats ‘which are associated with low wellbeing, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and impaired work ability’.
 
‘Despite readily available, safe hormonal and non-hormonal therapy, over 85% of women with bothersome symptoms are not receiving evidenced-based care,’ they state.
 
‘While first line management of menopause should be in primary care, menopause is not in the top 15 conditions most frequently managed by GPs.’
 
Dr McBride now aims to develop the project further and is currently recruiting for 10 general practices to trial the tool for 12 months.
 
‘We will look at usage statistics and invite participating GPs and patients to complete interviews about their experiences,’ she said.
 
‘We hope to refine the tools to make them as useful as possible to as many GPs and patients as possible.’
 
The pre-consultation part was developed in partnership with BetterConsult, so it is compatible with Best Practice software.
 
The clinical decision support tool uses the program Future Health Today and includes modules to support safe prescribing of hormone therapy and screening.
 
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