[Survey on the needs expressed by primary care doctors for continuing education in drug therapy]

To describe the aspects of continuing education in pharmacological therapeutics considered as most relevant by the primary health care physicians.

Observational study.Setting. Physicians filled-up the questionnaires during 45 minutes at their primary health care centres.

Primary health care physicians involved in the Fundation Institut Català de Farmacologia continuing education activities since 1997 were selected.

A specific questionnaire was designed to collect the physicians' opinion on different topics regarding continuing education in pharmacological therapeutics.

180 physicians from 21 primary health care centres answered the questionnaire. 68% of the responding physicians considered that continuing education has to be useful to improve routine clinical practice. Regular seminars and methods stimulating active participation administered by primary health care professionels are preferred. Continuing education in pharmacological therapeutics should be focused to health problems rather than being drug-oriented. They referred being more interested in drug selection issues and in the role of new drug in comparison with the existing alternatives rather than in regulation and drug consumption issues. 66,3% of the responding physicians considered that continuing education in pharmacological therapeutics should be compulsory. Public health authorities and primary health care physicians should share the responsibility in setting-up continuing education in pharmacological therapeutics programs, according to the opinion of almost 70% of the physicians.

Primary health care physicians are interested in continuing education in pharmacological therapeutics as far as it is practical and useful to solve problems of their routine clinical practice.