Design and results of a group counter-detailing DUR educational program

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pharmaceutical Policy
• Medical Education

Background:

• Improving medication use quality and controlling drug costs are key healthcare system goals.
• Educational programs can influence prescriber behavior and optimize medication management.
• Targeting specific drug classes, like antihistamines and antibiotics, allows for focused interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, implement, and evaluate a multi-step educational program within a healthcare system.
• To enhance the quality of medication use and manage pharmaceutical expenditures.
• To assess the program's impact on prescriber behavior and attitudes.

Main Methods:

• A before-after, nonequivalent comparison group design was employed for evaluation.
• Historical medication claims data from the prior year served as control.
• Prescribing rates, net cost savings, and prescriber attitudes were measured.

Main Results:

• Prescribing trends in the treatment group aligned with educational messages, unlike comparison groups.
• The antihistamine program yielded a net savings of $84; the antibiotic program resulted in a net loss of $2722.
• Over 75% of prescribers found the educational program appropriate for optimizing medication use, with exposure and experience influencing perceived knowledge gains.

Conclusions:

• The group counter-detailing drug utilization review (DUR) educational program effectively improved prescribing rates.
• Therapeutic category influenced both prescribing rate changes and economic outcomes.
• Physicians and nurse practitioners widely accepted the educational intervention.