BE-SAFE

The overall goal of BE-SAFE is to develop, test, implement and disseminate a harmonized and standardized patient-centered approach, accounting for European diversity, to improve patient safety by reducing use of benzodiazepine and sedative hypnotic use (BSHs) for sleep problems, one of the most frequently prescribed classes of harmful medication and of the three overuse practices measured by OECD, but challenging to reduce.

BE-SAFE is headed by the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) in Belgium and has received EU-funding (HORIZON-HLTH-2021-CARE-05: Ensuring access to innovative, sustainable and high-quality health care).

The project will run for 5 years, includes 9 international partners and is organised in 7 work packages. The figure outlines the objectives, concepts and timelines for BE-SAFE, including a randomised controlled trial of a comprehensive implementation strategies in 6 European countries.

MAGIC leads the work package on guideline development and implementation.

Our role is to develop digital and trustworthy clinical practice guidelines on BSH reduction (as BMJ Rapid Recommendations), and to support adaptation in partner-countries to facilitate implementation. MAGIC will here innovate how trustworthy clinical practice guidelines can include recommendations for implementation strategies, as developed in BE-SAFE. World-leading experts in implementation research, such as professor Jeremy Grimshaw in Canada, are core-contributors in this work package.