A randomized trial of the effectiveness and efficiency of interventions to reduce potential drug interactions in primary care

Am J Med Qual. 2011 Mar-Apr;26(2):145-53. doi: 10.1177/1062860610380898.

Abstract

The authors tested the effectiveness and estimated the cost of several interventions aimed at reducing drug interactions in primary care by designing a 15-month cluster-controlled trial. The trial involved 265 family physicians and their patients who were randomized into 4 groups: control, report (received feedback reports), session (group sessions), and face-to-face (personal interviews). The outcome was the mean of relevant interactions detected on electronic medical records. Cost-effectiveness was defined as the incremental cost to reduce drug interactions by 1%. The authors detected a baseline mean of 6.7 interactions per 100 patients, which was reduced to 5.3 interactions after follow-up. No improvement was seen in the report group when compared with the control group, whereas progressive improvement in the other groups was noted (P < .001). Incremental cost was higher in the face-to-face group (69.4€ vs 50.7€); cost-effectiveness results were slightly better in the session group (4.2€ vs 4.5€).

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Drug Interactions*
  • Education, Medical, Continuing / economics
  • Education, Medical, Continuing / methods*
  • Electronic Prescribing
  • Family Practice / education*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intention to Treat Analysis
  • Male
  • Medication Errors / prevention & control*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Spain
  • Total Quality Management*