Article
Effects of drug targeting counselling based on prescription analysis
Evaluationsergebnisse aus einem BKK-Projekt zur Pharmakotherapieberatung von niedergelassenen Ärzten
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Published: | October 16, 2003 |
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Outline
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Background and Aim
Since April 2002 several company health insurance funds (BKK) in co-operation with the Regional Association of SHI-accredited physicians Nordrhein raised a drug targeting consulting in the Rhein-Ruhr-Region. The project focussed quality and economy of prescriptions by specialists of internal medicine or general practitioners. The counselling is based on a standardised prescription report regarding cost effectiveness, possible surplus of medical care and issues of drug targeting. The aim of this investigation is to examine the effects and effectiveness of the counselling concerning drug targeting. The outcome variables are costs per patient, costs per prescription, costs per Defined Daily Dose as well as the rates of me-too and generic drugs.
Material and Method
To examine the effects of the counselling with regard to drug targeting the prescription data of 118 physicians (specialist of internal medicine and general practitioners) was analysed using a longitudinal matched-pairs design. The matching variables to form the control group of 118 physicians not counselled include number of patients, specialisation, geographical region and mean costs per patient having received any prescription. The variables for both intervention and control groups were investigated within the three months' periods before and after the intervention.
Results and Conclusions
The results show measurable and changing prescription patterns in the intervention group such as:
a) an overall decrease of expenses per patient having received any prescription by 4,9%, whereas the control group shows a reverse development of drug-expenses per patient
b) stable expenses per DDD,
c) a decrease in the number of prescriptions per patient by 6,3%,
d) an increase of the share of prescription of generics (5,9%),
e) a reduction of prescription of drugs with dubious efficacy measured by 16,2% and
f) an increasing use of evidence-based substances.