Biomaterial Database

Improving the appropriateness of physician prescribing. 1998

J Lexchin

Appropriate prescribing means that prescribers should try to maximize effectiveness, minimize risks and costs, and respect patients' choices. Evidence from studies on prescribing to individuals and from administrative databases reveals a significant level of inappropriate prescribing by Canadian physicians. Two important reasons for inappropriate prescribing seem to be physicians' level of knowledge and physicians' practice settings. A large number of methods have been tried to improve prescribing behavior, but most are unsuccessful. Academic detailing, and audit and feedback, have both been shown to work but may be difficult to implement in Canada, where most physicians practice in solo fee-for-service settings. Alternative forms of physician payment such as capitation or salary are probably necessary to make prescribing more appropriate.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010818	Practice Patterns, Physicians'	Patterns of practice related to diagnosis and treatment as especially influenced by cost of the service requested and provided.	Clinical Practice Patterns,Physician's Practice Patterns,Clinical Practice Pattern,Pattern, Clinical Practice,Patterns, Clinical Practice,Practice Pattern, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Physician's,Prescribing Patterns, Physician,Physician Practice Patterns,Physician Prescribing Pattern,Physician Prescribing Patterns,Physician's Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Patterns,Practice Pattern, Physician's,Practice Pattern, Physicians',Practice Patterns, Physician,Prescribing Pattern, Physician
D011307	Drug Prescriptions	Directions written for the obtaining and use of DRUGS.	Drug Prescribing,Drug Prescription,Drug Prescribings,Prescribing, Drug,Prescribings, Drug
D011331	Private Practice	Practice of a health profession by an individual, offering services on a person-to-person basis, as opposed to group or partnership practice.	Solo Practice,Practice, Private,Practice, Solo,Practices, Private,Practices, Solo,Private Practices,Solo Practices
D002170	Canada	The largest country in North America, comprising 10 provinces and three territories. Its capital is Ottawa.
D002983	Clinical Competence	The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care.	Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D003657	Decision Making	The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea.	Credit Assignment,Assignment, Credit,Assignments, Credit,Credit Assignments
D004363	Drug Utilization	The utilization of drugs as reported in individual hospital studies, FDA studies, marketing, or consumption, etc. This includes drug stockpiling, and patient drug profiles.	Utilization, Drug,Drug Utilizations,Utilizations, Drug
D005194	Family Practice	A medical specialty concerned with the provision of continuing, comprehensive primary health care for the entire family.	Family Practices,Practice, Family,Practices, Family
D006123	Group Practice	Any group of three or more full-time physicians organized in a legally recognized entity for the provision of health care services, sharing space, equipment, personnel and records for both patient care and business management, and who have a predetermined arrangement for the distribution of income.	Group Practices,Practice, Group,Practices, Group
D006300	Health Services Misuse	Excessive, under or unnecessary utilization of health services by patients or physicians.	Abuse of Health Services,Misuse of Health Services,Health Services Underuse,Health Services Underutilization,Misuse, Health Services,Underuse, Health Services,Health Services Abuse,Health Services Abuses,Health Services Misuses,Health Services Underuses,Health Services Underutilizations,Misuses, Health Services,Underuses, Health Services,Underutilization, Health Services,Underutilizations, Health Services