Primary Submission Category: Interventions/Programs
Evaluation of a Provider Training Program to Shift Prescribing Practices in Primary Care
Authors: Shutong Huo, Mandana Masoumirad, Glen Xiong, Ariel Neikrug, Robert McCarron, Tim Bruckner,
Presenting Author: Shutong Huo*
Background: Benzodiazepines (BZ) remain widely prescribed for mental disorders despite known risks of dependence, misuse, and overdose. Recent clinical guidelines recommend limiting chronic BZ use in favor of long-term antidepressants (AD). Some continuing medical education (CME) interventions can encourage this shift, yet little evidence demonstrates their impact. We assess whether a CME program in California reduces BZ prescribing relative to AD among primary care providers (PCPs) compared to a control group with no training.
Methods: We analyzed data from 176 PCPs participating in a publicly insured health program in Southern California between 2017 and 2021. Of these, 38 received the CME training, while 138 did not. We extract quarterly provider-level prescription data and calculate an AD/BZ ratio. Using a two-way fixed-effects difference-in-differences model, we account for both provider-level fixed effects and time fixed effects.
Results: Over time, the BZ/AD ratio among both treated and control groups declined over the study period. Post-CME training, the treated provider cohorts exhibited an approximate 20% decrease in the BZ-to-AD prescribing ratio compared to the control group (
Conclusion: These findings suggest that a CME program reduces benzodiazepine prescription while promoting antidepressant use, underscoring the effectiveness of educational interventions in aligning prescribing practices with guidelines. If replicated in larger samples, these findings support CME program effectiveness in enhancing adherence to clinical practice guidelines as well as the potential to improve patient safety.