Table 1.

Trends in Branded Drug Prescribing Before and After Policy Implementation at Madras Medical Group (MMG) Alone and Relative to Control

MMG TrendMMG Relative to Control
PrescribingEstimate %95% CIP ValueEstimate %95% CIP Value
a Changes after policy implementation.
Note: Baseline level = prescribing rate at month 1 (April 2004); pre trend = monthly change in prescribing rate in period before policy implementation; level change = change in prescribing rate immediately before policy implementation (September 2005) to immediately after policy implementation (April 2006); post trend = monthly change in prescribing rate in period after policy implementation. MMG relative to control estimates are interpreted similarly, but adjusted for concurrent prescribing trends in the control group.
Aggregate
    Baseline level41.1239.56 to 42.68<.001
    Pre trend−0.34−0.48 to −0.19<.001−0.14−0.31 to 0.02.087
    Level changea1.74−0.73 to 4.21.1771.59−1.31 to 4.49.286
    Post trenda−0.38−0.73 to −0.03.688−0.20−0.59 to 0.20.676
Antidepressants
    Baseline level45.2441.10 to 49.38<.001
    Pre trend−0.37−0.74 to 0.01.068−0.23−0.84 to 0.38.459
    Level changea−1.44−8.26 to 5.38.683−7.79−18.16 to 2.58.146
    Post trenda−0.85−1.78 to 0.08.0940.45−1.04 to 1.95.135
Antihypertensives
    Baseline level30.7729.09 to 32.45<.001
    Pre trend0.08−0.07 to 0.24.3080.10−0.18 to 0.37.499
    Level changea0.36−2.48 to 3.20.804−4.29−9.29 to 0.71.098
    Post trenda−0.54−0.92 to −0.16<.0010.20−0.48 to 0.88.612
Lipid-lowering drugs
    Baseline level75.6470.64 to 80.64<.001
    Pre trend−0.19−0.64 to 0.27.432−0.51−0.98 to −0.04.036
    Level changea0.35−7.86 to 8.57.933−1.91−10.59 to 6.77.667
    Post trenda−1.36−2.48 to −0.24.002−1.03−2.17 to 0.10.132
Respiratory drugs
    Baseline level85.4580.67 to 90.23<.001
    Pre trend−0.36−0.81 to 0.08.116−0.13−0.64 to 0.38.620
    Level changea−11.93−20.08 to −3.78.007−11.34−20.75 to −1.93.021
    Post trenda0.44−0.63 to 1.51.0170.57−0.67 to 1.80.065