The IDEAL Care Trial: IDEntifying Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Primary Care

Project Details

The IDEntifying Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Primary Care (IDEAL Care) Trial is a  cluster randomised control trial of urban and rural general practices across Victoria and Western Australia. The trial will assess the real-world effectiveness of an integrated liver fibrosis detection pathway, implemented through the Future Health Today (FHT) clinical decision support platform, compared to usual care. FHT will support GPs in the identification of patients who might be at risk of chronic liver disease and the development of cirrhosis and provide evidence-based guidance regarding appropriate diagnostic testing and referral pathways. With chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increasingly affecting Australians, early detection of advanced liver fibrosis within a primary care setting has the potential to provide at-risk patients invaluable preventative and surveillance strategies.

Researchers

Herman Prof Jon Emery, Academic GP, University of Melbourne

A/Prof Nicole Rankin, Implementation Scientist, University of Melbourne

A/Prof Jo-Anne Manski-Nankervis, Academic GP, University of Melbourne

Prof Alexander Thompson, Gastroenterologist, St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and University of Melbourne

A/Prof Patty Chondros, Biostatistician, The University of Melbourne

Prof Douglas Boyle, Health Informatician, University of Melbourne

Eliza Zmislja, National Trial Coordinator, University of Melbourne

Adrian Laughlin, Biostatistician and Data Manager, University of Melbourne

Dr Tara Clinton-McHarg, Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne

Caitlin Clymer, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne

Ekmini Ramanayaka Pathirannehelage, Research Support Officer, University of Melbourne

Collaborators

Prof Leon Adams, Hepatologist, University of Western Australia

Prof Gary Jeffrey, Hepatologist, University of Western Australia

Dr Barbara de Graaff, Health Economist, University of Tasmania

A/Prof Andrew Kirke, Academic GP, University of Western Australia

Mr Anh Le Tuan Nguyen, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of Tasmania

Hepatitis Australia

Liver Foundation

Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group (PC4)

Funding

This research is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund’s 2021 MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Scheme.

Research Outcomes

This trial aims to determine the effectives of an integrated liver fibrosis detection pathway for the diagnosis of unrecognised advanced liver fibrosis in general practice patients, compared to usual care.

Outcomes from this study will provide the evidence to introduce clinical pathways to identify at-risk patients who may benefit from specialist review and avoid needless referral for those not at risk. As the intervention is designed to consist of current and available technologies incorporated into existing software platforms, the research team anticipate that the implementation of findings will be rapid.

Research Group

Cancer in Primary Care

Faculty Research Themes

Cancer

School Research Themes

Cancer in Medicine, Critical Care

Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.

Department / Centre

General Practice and Primary Care

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