Evaluation results from prospective drug utilization review: Medicaid demonstrations

In 1992 HCFA awarded two cooperative agreements for demonstrations of prospective drug utilization review (PDUR). Iowa tested an on-line prospective drug utilization review (OPDUR) system. Washington tested payments to pharmacists for providing non-dispensing "cognitive services" (CS). In this article the authors report on an evaluation of these demonstrations and on three assessments of retrospective drug utilization review (RDUR) interventions. The evaluation failed to detect effects of either State PDUR demonstration on the frequency of drug problems, utilization of prescription drugs and other health services, and clinical outcomes. However, the State RDUR interventions had immediate effects on prescribing physicians.