Nicholas Pimlott and colleagues provided individualized feedback and education to a group of primary care physicians. Members of this intervention group received confidential profiles of benzodiazepine prescription use and evidence-based educational bulletins, while the control group received feedback and educational bulletins about first-line antihypertension drug prescribing for elderly patients. The authors found no change in the prescribing patterns of physicians due to the enhanced information.
Inappropriate prescribing of benzodiazepine-type drugs is considered a significant issue because of the impact long-term use of the drugs can have on the elderly.
p. 835 Educating physicians to reduce benzodiazepine use by elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial
— N.J.G. Pimlott et al
Canadian Medical Association Journal