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PHYSICIAN ACCEPTANCE OF A HYPERLIPIDEMIA PROGRAM'S ADAPTATION OF THE NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION PROGRAM'S ADULT TREATMENT PANEL III UPDATE
James Palmieri
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BACKGROUND: Physician acceptance of a disease management program is paramount to that program’s success, particularly in a voluntary referral system. Physician satisfaction assessment is necessary as programs adapt to updated national guidelines that change the practice of care.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of knowledge and acceptance of the principles behind the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III update among physicians who refer to our telephone surveillance hyperlipidemia risk management program, assess their satisfaction with our program’s educational efforts regarding clinical hyperlipidemia management, and ascertain the physicians’ ongoing willingness to refer their patients to our program.
METHODS: Surveys were mailed to all physicians (n = 81) who had patients actively enrolled in our program at the time of the study. The survey consisted of 7 questions designed to discern the physicians’ awareness and acceptance of the trend toward more aggressive cholesterol-lowering therapy in certain high-risk patient populations, as well as their future willingness to refer patients to our program now that more aggressive treatment targets have been established.
RESULTS: Of the 21 (26%) physicians who responded to our survey, all indicated that they were aware of the latest NCEP update. Most physicians (94%) received their knowledge of the update outside of our program’s efforts to inform them, yet most (90%; p < 0.001) thought that our program kept them informed on the best practices for dyslipidemia management. Respondents were overwhelmingly in favor of the more aggressive targets (95% [p < 0.001 for highest-risk patients]; 100% [p < 0.001 for moderately high-risk patients]).
CONCLUSIONS: Our referring physicians are aware of and support the NCEP ATP III update recommendations and the revisions to our standardized procedure that came as a result of these recommendations.
J Pharm Technol 2005;22:211-4.
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