PHYSICIAN RESPONSES TO AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON IMPROVING THEIRLONG-TERM PRESCRIBING OF SEDATIVES

The current study examined response forms returned by physicians in re sponse to a Medicaid retrospective therapeutic, intervention on the lo ng-term use of sedatives. The educational intervention was designed to notify physicians about their patients' long-term use of sedatives an d suggest that they reevaluate the patient's need for sedative hypnoti c medication and decrease or discontinue prescribing the medication an d/or suggest non-pharmacological alternatives if deemed appropriate. F orty-seven percent of physicians responded to the educational interven tion. Nineteen percent of responding physicians planned to change the patient's medication in some way. The most common planned change was t o decrease the dose. Physicians also stated that they would recommend one or more non-pharmacological alternatives to 17% of patients. Thirt y-eight percent of physicians planned to monitor and/or counsel the pa tient. Over 40% of physicians reported planning no action after receiv ing the intervention. Twenty-six percent of physicians planned no acti on because of patient demand for the sedatives. The study concludes th at physicians need to be better trained on how to: (1) discuss non-pha rmacological treatments with patients and (2) deal with and respond to patients who demand controlled substances. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.