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The Effect of Informative Letters on the Prescription and Receipt of Opioids

NCT03202745 · Status: WITHDRAWN · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Last updated 2021-08-12

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Inappropriate prescribing exposes patients to health risks and results in wasteful public expenditures. This study will evaluate an approach to fighting abusive prescription: sending letters to suspected potentially inappropriate prescribers warning them that they are outliers compared to their peers and have been flagged for review. The study will target high prescribers of opioids in the Schedule II controlled substances class. Two types of letters will be tested: one focusing on the health consequences of inappropriate prescribing for patients, and the other focusing on the consequences for prescribers including e.g. potential administrative actions. Using claims data, the investigators will assess the effect of the letters on prescribing of opioids, receipt of opioids by patients, substitution behavior by prescribers and patients, and health outcomes of patients.

Conditions

  • Economics
  • Fraud
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Health Expenditures
  • Prescribing
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (U.S.)

Interventions

OTHER

Patient Consequences Letter

This letter focuses on the consequences of inappropriate prescribing for patients. It also includes a peer comparison.

OTHER

Prescriber Consequences Letter

This letter focuses on the consequences of inappropriate prescribing for prescribers. It also includes a peer comparison.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Adam Sacarny, PhD · Columbia University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2017-01-31
Primary Completion
2018-01-31
Completion
2019-01-31

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03202745 on ClinicalTrials.gov