A total of 33 studies (n=unclear) were included in the review: 31 randomised or quasi-randomised studies and two controlled before-after studies. Only one study fulfilled all five quality criteria.
Patient-centred interventions (16 studies):
Two out of three studies that provided information to patients reported positive effects on intervention outcomes, three studies reported no positive effects on satisfaction and three studies reported no positive effects on subjective health outcomes.
Three out of five studies that provided decision aids to patients reported positive effects on intervention outcomes, two out of three studies reported positive effects on satisfaction and one out of three studies reported positive effects on subjective health outcomes.
Two out of two studies that provided audiotaped consultations reported positive effects on intervention outcomes, two studies reported positive effects on satisfaction and one reported no positive effects on subjective health outcomes.
None of four studies that provided patient-mediated interventions reported positive effects, one out of four reported positive effects on satisfaction and two studies reported positive effects on subjective health outcomes.
Two studies that provided communication training for professionals reported no positive effects on intervention outcomes and one study reported no positive effect for satisfaction.
Organisation of care interventions (14 studies):
Two out four studies that provided follow-up by nurses reported positive effects on intervention outcomes, one study out of five reported positive effects on satisfaction, six studies reported no positive effects on subjective health outcomes and one out of four studies reported positive effects for objective health outcomes.
One study that provided follow-up by GP (General Practitioner) reported no positive effect on intervention outcomes, one of two studies reported positive effects on satisfaction and two studies reported no positive effect on subjective health outcomes.
One study that provided case management reported positive effects on intervention outcomes, one study reported positive effects on satisfaction, one reported no positive effect on subjective health outcomes and one reported positive effects on objective health outcomes.
Two studies on one-stop clinics both reported positive subjective health outcomes.
Multidisciplinary care (one study):
One study reported a positive effect of having a radiologist as part of a multidisciplinary team for patients with gastric cancer.
Combination approaches (two studies):
One study of a shared care programme reported positive effects on intervention outcomes and satisfaction, but not on subjective health outcomes. One study of patient-held records reported no positive effects on intervention outcomes or subjective health outcomes.