Changing prescribing practices through individual continuing education.

In a study involving 94 practicing physicians, committees of clinical pharmacologists analyzed copies of prescriptions (and additional relevant clinical data) to identify problems in prescribing ("educational needs"). Only the ten most commonly prescribed drugs were studied in the samples of 200 prescriptions from each physician; 1061 problems were identified in the prescriptions of the 94 participants. One physician group (n = 41) received feedback (instructional packets) addressing specific problems in prescribing; a second sample consisting of 200 prescriptions was then collected and analyzed. The physicians in this group changed their prescribing practices 30% of the time in accordance with recommendations, whereas those in the group that received no educational feedback changed in only 3% of the cases. When a physician stated an intention to change, an actual change resulted 50% of the time. Individualized teaching in response to real events in practice is a practical and effective method of improving physician performance.