PHARMACOECONOMICS

Success with GP educational programme

An educational programme for GPs in Sweden which covered the diagnosis and treatment of depression resulted in savings of approximately SEK 155 million (US$26 million) over a 3-year period from 1983-1985. 'There is nothing to indicate that the observed effect of our educational programme could not be reproduced elsewhere', say W. Rutz and colleagues from Sweden who report on the programme.

The educational programme was initiated by the Swedish Committee for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression and included all GPs on the island of Gotland, Sweden (population 56 000). Following training, the rates of sick-leave and inpatient psychiatric care were reduced. A significant reduction in the number of suicides was also observed and prescribing patterns for psychopharmacological agents improved. Furthermore, improvements in both patients' quality of life and in GPs attitudes to the treatment of psychiatric patients were achieved. Evaluation of the long-term effects of the programme in 1988 suggested that training should be repeated every 2-3 years. Rutz W. Carlsson p. von Knorring L. et al. Cost-benefit analysis of an educational program for general practitionersby the Swedish Committee for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 85: 457-464. Jun 1992

ISSN 0156-2703/9210815-009/$1.00© Adls International Ltd

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INPHARMA® 15 Augl992