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Published on: December 11, 2016
General practitioners and pharmaceutical sales representatives: quality improvement research
Geoffrey Spurling1, Peter Mansfield
1Discipline of General Practice, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia. g.spurling@uq.edu.au
Quality & Safety in Health Care
|August 19, 2007
Summary
Implementing a new policy significantly reduced pharmaceutical sales representative (PSR) interactions with general practitioners (GPs), leading to improved prescribing practices and staff satisfaction. This policy enhances GP consulting time and encourages independent drug information evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Practice Management
- Health Policy
- Pharmaceutical Marketing
Background:
- Pharmaceutical sales representative (PSR) interactions with general practitioners (GPs) may negatively influence prescribing habits.
- Ethical considerations arise regarding the impact of these interactions on clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nature and extent of interactions between PSRs and GPs in an Australian general practice.
- To develop and evaluate a practice policy aimed at guiding and potentially limiting these interactions.
Main Methods:
- Audits of GP prescribing, diaries, promotional materials, and drug samples were conducted.
- A staff survey was administered, followed by staff voting on policy options.
- The implemented policy was evaluated at 3 and 9 months post-adoption.
Main Results:
- Interactions with PSRs decreased by 32% for promotional materials and 59% for drug samples, sustained at 9 months.
- Generic prescribing rates significantly increased by 3 months (OR 2.28) and 9 months (OR 2.07).
- Majority of staff reported satisfaction with the new policy, though promotional items per room were not significantly reduced.
Conclusions:
- A policy restricting PSR access led to reduced interactions, increased staff satisfaction, and improved prescribing patterns.
- The policy is integrated into practice orientation, with reception staff communicating it to PSRs.
- The aim is to redirect GP time towards patient care and independent drug information assessment.
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