A study of the effect of computer feedback on polypharmacy

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Health Informatics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Psychotropic polypharmacy, the concurrent use of multiple psychiatric medications, presents challenges in patient care.
• Monitoring and managing polypharmacy is crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes and minimizing adverse effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of computer-generated feedback on psychotropic prescribing habits among clinicians.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a feedback system in reducing polypharmacy.

Main Methods:

• Clinicians in a midwestern state's DMH Institutions received monthly computer-generated reports on patients prescribed over four psychotropic drugs.
• Prescribing data was analyzed using monthly itemized billing record returns from July 1973 to February 1976.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in psychotropic polypharmacy was observed.
• The decrease in polypharmacy predated the implementation and distribution of the computer-generated feedback reports.

Conclusions:

• The reduction in polypharmacy was associated with the planning and discussion phases of the computer project, rather than the feedback itself.
• Early stakeholder engagement and planning discussions may influence clinical practice changes independently of direct feedback mechanisms.