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Psychiatric Bulletin (2008) 32: 183-186. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.107.017095
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Five-year follow-up of an evidence-based prescribing intervention

David Meagher, Professor

Department of Health Services Research, University of Limerick, and Department of Adult Psychiatry, Midwestern Regional Hospital, Limerick, Republic of Ireland, email: davidjmeagher{at}gmail.com

Ananth Pullela, Consultant Psychiatrist

Midwestern Regional Hospital, Limerick

Marek Meisinger, Registrar in Psychiatry, Niamh Geaney, Senior House Officer and Sinead O’Brien, Senior Registrar

Limerick Mental Health Services, Limerick, Republic of Ireland

Declaration of interest

D.M. has received an unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.

AIMS AND METHOD

We studied the impact of an evidence-based multidisciplinary intervention to reduce six sub-optimal aspects of psychotropic prescribing, combined as a Prescribing Practice Quality (PPQ) score over a 5-year follow-upperiodinacommunity mental health service.

RESULTS

Sub-optimal prescribing practices were significantly reduced after 1 year and these improvements were sustained at 5-year follow-up. The PPQ scores were significantly reduced (P<0.001) in both the overall population attending at each follow-up point as well as in the ever-present population (n=163). Use of high-dose antipsychotics and thioridazine ceased entirely; use of sedative hypnotic agents was less amenable to reduction.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Multifaceted interventions can achieve sustained improvements in prescribing practices in real-world settings.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
British Journal of Psychiatry Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.