The impact of an educational program on gentamicin use in a teaching hospital.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a structured educational program in improving the gentamicin prescribing pattern of physicians in the hospital. Predetermined criteria for acceptable use were based upon the specific indications for initiating the drug therapy, the dosage regimen, and the precautions taken to avoid toxicity. In the preeducation review period, 57 of 109 courses of gentamicin (52 percent) were found acceptable. Following the educational program, 93 of 120 courses (78 percent; p less than 0.001) were acceptable; indications for gentamicin use that were found unacceptable decreased from 11 percent to 5 percent (p less than 0.005) and the incidence of excessive doses declined from 21 to 7 percent (p less than 0.005). We conclude that a structured educational program may improve the prescribing pattern of physicians.