In light of the opioid crisis, less attention has been focused on the long-term misuse of benzodiazepines (BZD) for anxiety and sleep disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine the sustainability of positive results (an 80% decrease in BZD prescribing) following a deprescribing intervention with primary care providers working with a low-income population at a Midwestern university-based community clinic.

All de-identified BZD prescriptions written by providers at the community clinic were captured using the electronic medical record. A BZD equivalency chart was used to compare the relative potencies of BZD commonly prescribed by the clinic. Each prescription was converted to a single number: the diazepam equivalent (DE). This number takes into account the potency of the drug (using diazepam as the standard), the dose of the drug, number of tablets dispensed and number of refills. The number of DE prescribed was tallied every 30 days for 6 months following the completion of a quality improvement BZD deprescribing intervention. The original intervention was implemented in 2018, with the goal of decreasing the prescription of BZD by clinic primary care providers to outpatients for insomnia or anxiety. The brief intervention combined academic detailing and pharmaceutical company detailing with a deprescribing message. Providers were given current evidence about alternatives to BZD, deprescribing schedules, and brain-storming opportunities about the management of patient concerns and resistance to change. Posters with alternatives to BZD were hung in the main provider office at the clinic. Food and “No Benzo” logo merchandise (mugs, pens) were provided to attendees of the intervention and clinic nurses. Thirty days after the intervention, the number of DE prescribed decreased by 80%.

Benzodiazepine prescribing (measured in DE) continued to decrease every 30 days for six months to 92-93% of pre-intervention numbers.

Follow up of a 2018 intervention revealed sustainability of the effect of a significant decrease in benzodiazepine (BZD) prescribing in a community clinic. A brief BZD deprescribing intervention using a combination of academic detailing and pharmaceutical company detailing designed to persuade prescribers to change their behavior was effective in influencing providers to decrease the amount of BZD they prescribe. The desired result (an 80% decrease in BZD prescribing) was achieved following the original 30-day intervention. Prescription numbers continued to decrease over the next six months (to 92-93% of pre-intervention numbers), which indicates that the deprescribing intervention may have had a sustainable positive effect on provider prescribing behavior. This intervention is easy to implement and may decrease BZD prescribing, which addresses the overuse/misuse of BZD, a significant public health concern in the United States.

Funding Acknowledgements: Personal funds only