Peer Comparison Feedback on Opioid Prescribing

University of Pittsburgh

Status: Completed

Conditions: Opioid Use

Treatments: Behavioral: Peer Normative Comparison Feedback; Behavioral: Personal Feedback

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03183882

PRO17040547

Details and patient eligibility

About

We aim to determine if descriptive normative feedback of peer prescribing reduces opioid analgesic prescribing by emergency medicine providers

Full description

State-based Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are being implemented to reduce prescription drug abuse and diversion. On August 24, 2016, Pennsylvania initiated its mandated PDMP. In prior research, we found that ED providers reduced opioid prescribing by 17% immediately after PDMP went live. Still, there is variability between providers in the frequency of opioid prescribing even after PDMP initiation. Changing clinician prescribing behavior is difficult, but recent research has shown that using peer comparisons can assist behavior change (Meeker D et al., JAMA, 2016). In this study, we will randomize a convenience sample of ED providers to receive either their opioid prescribing history data with peer comparative data or without peer comparative data. We will examine the effect on immediate perceived norms as well as impact on opioid prescribing in the subsequent 3 months. Results could inform behavioral feedback to alter clinician prescribing behaviors

Enrollment: 49 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 99 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Emergency medicine provider
• Writes 10 or more opioid prescriptions per month (on average)

Exclusion criteria

• none

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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49 participants in 2 patient groups

Normative Peer Comparison

Experimental group

Description:

One-time summary report of 14-month individual history of opioid prescribing WITH comparisons to (a) other providers at their site and (2) other providers at 15 ED sites with similar prescribing

Treatment:

Behavioral: Peer Normative Comparison Feedback

Control Feedback

Active Comparator group

Description:

One-time summary report of their individual history of opioid prescribing

Treatment:

Behavioral: Personal Feedback