Healthy Skepticism Library item: 5059

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Larson K, Levy J, Rome MG, Matte TD, Silver LD, Frieden TR.
Public health detailing: a strategy to improve the delivery of clinical preventive services in New York City.
Public Health Rep 2006 May-Jun; 121:(3):228-34

Abstract:

To promote use of essential clinical preventive services, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene developed the Public Health Detailing Program, a primary care provider outreach initiative modeled on pharmaceutical detailing. Department representatives conducted topical campaigns, making unscheduled visits to health care practices and meeting with providers and office staff members. Representatives distributed “action kits” containing practice tools, provider information, and patient education materials; nicotine replacement therapy was distributed during the smoking cessation campaign. More than 2,500 interactions with practice staff members were completed by six health department representatives at approximately 200 sites. Physician visits lasted 10 minutes or longer, and by provider self-report, use of office systems for prevention and adherence to recommended practices increased. Public health detailing is an effective method of reaching providers to deliver key prevention messages, feasible for public health agencies and acceptable to practices. The effectiveness of this intervention in improving clinical prevention services requires further evaluation.

Keywords:
Aged Colonic Neoplasms/diagnosis* Humans Influenza Vaccines/administration & dosage* Mass Screening/statistics & numerical data* Middle Aged New York City Preventive Health Services/methods Preventive Health Services/organization & administration* Preventive Health Services/statistics & numerical data Public Health/statistics & numerical data* Public Health/trends Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Smoking Cessation*