Barriers to academic detailers: a qualitative study in general practice

International research has proved that academic detailing positively influences the prescribing behaviour of physicians. In the North-East Flanders region of Belgium, a quantitative study of the feasibility and acceptability of academic detailing in general practice has demonstrated that academic detailers are appreciated by physicians.

In addition to the quantitative study, a qualitative study was carried out to determine physicians' attitudes to academic detailing and their objections against it.

This study took place in general practice in the North-East Flanders region of Belgium, using semistructured interviews. Nineteen physicians who had previously had a visit from an academic detailer in the quantitative study, and 19 who had refused were invited for an interview.

Eighteen physicians who had been visited by an academic detailer, and nine who had refused a visit agreed to be interviewed. Although most physicians who had had a visit from an academic detailer appreciated the visit, some barriers were revealed. Physicians had doubts about the objectivity, stated that the information was not new or that they had other ways to obtain information. These barriers were also mentioned by the physicians who had refused a visit. Additional barriers were that the visits were time-consuming, meant to cut expenses, politically coloured, and patronising.

Doubts about independence and objectivity of the information were stated as important barriers both by physicians who had accepted a visit from an academic detailer and by those who had not. These issues need to be dealt with when designing future interventions with academic detailers.