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Table 1 Intervention components

From: Effectiveness of medicines review with web-based pharmaceutical treatment algorithms in reducing potentially inappropriate prescribing in older people in primary care: a cluster randomized trial (OPTI-SCRIPT study protocol)

Intervention component

Description

Academic detailing

A research pharmacist will visit the intervention practices. During the academic detailing, the pharmacist will:

• Discuss the concept of PIP with the GPs, focusing on the prevalence and consequences of PIP in primary care

• Discuss the pharmaceutical treatment algorithm

• Discuss the medicines review process

• Demonstrate the web-based platform for accessing the pharmaceutical treatment algorithm for use in a medicines review with each participant patient

Medicines review with web-based pharmaceutical treatment algorithms

GPs will be asked to:

• Schedule a medicines review for the patient’s next appointment

• Log on to the designated website using individualized user-names and passwords

• Access the individualized web-based pharmaceutical treatment algorithms for each patient during the review

• Conduct a medicines review following the page-by-page web-based pharmaceutical treatment algorithms. Each pharmaceutical treatment algorithm has the following structure:

Section A: The individual PIP with reason for concern

Section B: Alternative pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment options

Section C: Background information (where relevant)

• Complete the process by submitting the review outcome form for each PIP per patient

Each GP will also be provided with a full, paper-based compendium of pharmaceutical treatment algorithms for reference

Patient information leaflets

For every alternative therapy option, a brief patient information leaflet has been written. These leaflets describe the PIP and the reasons why it may be inappropriate. They also outline the alternative therapies the GP may offer instead

  1. Note: The decision on whether to follow the recommended treatment alternatives will be at the discretion of the GP, weighing up the risks and benefits and patient preference.