EFFECTS OF A PHYSICIAN EDUCATION-PROGRAM ON PRESCRIBING OF HMG-COA REDUCTASE INHIBITORS

The authors implemented a physician education program for a large heal th plan to shift market share with lit the HMG-CoA drug class toward t he two formular agents and away from two more costly, nonformulary, al ternatives. The initiative targeted the 20% of plait physicians with t he highest cost volume in HMG-CoA prescriptions via on-site education sessions conducted by a clinical pharmacist in both group and individu al settings. In the 9 months following its introduction, the program y ielded annualized savings of nearly 3% in expenditures es within this high-use drug class among targeted prescribers.