Change in Benzodiazepine Prescribing Practices of Mental Health Providers After Implementation of an Agency-Specific Protocol

摘要

Purpose: As a class of drugs, benzodiazepines are highly effective in treating anxiety disorders. However, the use of benzodiazepines carries a risk for dependence with an increased incidence in individuals with cooccurring disorders. The project evaluated the impact of a benzodiazepine prescribing protocol on mental health providers' prescribing practices. Methods: A retrospective chart review (N = 237) was conducted to assess changes in benzodiazepine prescribing patterns prior to and following the implementation of an agency-specific protocol. A convenience sample of 15 providers included nurse practitioners and psychiatrists from a regional mental health center in East Tennessee. For the diagnoses of anxiety disorders, the number of benzodiazepine prescriptions written, dose reduced or discontinued was determined along with concordance to current recommendations for benzodiazepine use. Results: No statistically significant differences were found in scores between study periods, even though there was a decrease in the number of prescriptions written between the pre- (n = 81) and postmeasures {n = 34). Conclusion: The implementation of a benzodiazepine protocol does not necessarily bring about significant changes in providers' prescribing practices. Audit and feedback are an essential part of the intervention strategy and are often required to change performance-related outcomes.