How Do Doctors and Patients React to the Introduction of a Practice Formulary?

A formulary covering 10 drug groups and over 50% of prescribing was devised in a general practice and doctors' attitudes to the idea to a formulary were assessed before and after the study. The prescribing of formulary drugs rose from 72% to 81% over two years, and the general practitioners were significantly more positive towards formularies in the practice which devised the formulary but not in three control practices. A group of patients receiving repeat prescriptions was interviewed in three practices in three consecutive years, and there was no difference in satisfaction with drugs between the formulary practice and the two control practices. However, an association between changing a drug and dissatisfaction was noted, and there was a trend of decreasing satisfaction with prescribing and with information given about drugs over the three years in all the practices. Overall 51% of patients felt that they had either too little or no information given to them about their drugs. Improving information given to both doctors and patients about drugs may be important in improving prescribing without causing discontentment.