[Effectiveness of a personalized information system on the quality of family doctors' medical prescription].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of a system of personalised prescription information (PPI) to improve prescription habits of family doctors (FD); to examine how useful PPI is in maintaining these habits, and to analyse its influence through factors of the doctor and his/her environment.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, descriptive pilot study to analyse conditioning factors and possible confusion; quasi-experimental intervention study to assess the effectiveness of PPI, with two groups (experimental and control) and 4 determinations (before the PPI and after: short, medium and long-term).Setting. Family doctors in the Murcia Region.


METHODS
The prescriptions of all family doctors in the Murcia region which started before PPI and which continued until the end of the study and without absences of over 10% at each measurement.Intervention. The family doctors from the Murcia city area formed the experimental group: they received PPI with specific proposals for improvement. The FDs of Cartagena and Lorca, who did not receive PPI, made up the control group. Statistical analysis. Logistical regression to identify conditioning factors. Z comparison of proportions contrasted with one-tail hypothesis to check the effectiveness of PPI.
Non-randomised allocation to groups made comparison difficult: conditioning factors for stratification or adjustment were studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Confirmation of PPI s effectiveness justifies its dissemination. If there is no such confirmation, it will have to be perfected. Isolating the factors conditioning prescription that can be modified helps find ways to improve PPI.
López-Picazo Ferrer
J J
JJ
Doctor en Medicina, Especialista en Medicina de Familia, Unidad de Calidad. Gerencia de Atención Primaria de Murcia, Spain. jlopezpicazo@gapmu01.insalud.es
Sanz Moreno
J A
JA
Sánchez Ruiz
J F
JF
Rausell Rausel
V
V
Salas Martín
E
E
Sánchez Rodríguez
F
F
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004346:Drug Information Services; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013030:Spain
Efectividad de un sistema de información personalizada sobre la calidad de prescripción de medicamentos en médicos de familia.