Network professionali e uso delle linee guida: il caso della pediatria di libera scelta

Family paediatricians are an integral part of Primary Care in Italy. These professionals are scattered throughout the territory and mostly work in isolation, in the context and under the supervision of local health authorities. This study aims to explore the impact of informal knowledge exchange networks on these isolated practices. In particular, we provide an empirical test of whether informal knowledge exchange among family paediatricians is associated with their use of clinical guidelines. Our findings document that the interaction of paediatricians with their colleagues, on the territory and within hospitals, is positively associated with the frequency with which they use clinical guidelines. These results have important implications for local health unit managers and professional associations.