title: Evaluation of a DUR intervention: a case study of histamine antagonists.
abstract: Drug Utilization Review (DUR) programs aim to control inappropriate prescribing and drug costs, but there are few rigorous studies of their impact. This paper presents the evaluation results of a DUR intervention (excessive duration of full-dose histamine-2 receptor antagonists) using a quasi-experimental design. We observe a greater reduction of H2RA use in the intervention group than in the comparison group, and a reduction in drug expenditures which exceeded the cost of targeting and notifying prescribers. The success of DUR programs depends on both their efficiency and the drug issues under consideration; the use of a comparison group is critical in the evaluation of their impact.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53705.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Lipowski
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sainfort
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D017046:Cost Savings; D016527:Drug Costs; D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008484:Medicaid; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014481:United States; D014922:Wisconsin
chemical_list: D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists