The State plan must provide for ongoing educational outreach programs that, using DUR Board data on common drug therapy problems, educate practitioners on common drug therapy problems with the aim of improving prescribing and dispensing practices. The program may be established directly by the DUR Board or through contracts with accredited health care educational institutions, State medical societies or State pharmacists associations/societies, or other organizations. The program must include the interventions listed in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section. The DUR Board determines the content of education regarding common therapy problems and the circumstances in which each of the interventions is to be used.

(a) Dissemination of information to physicians and pharmacists in the State concerning the duties and powers of the DUR Board and the basis for the standards required by §456.705(c) for use in assessing drug use.

(b) Written, oral, or electronic reminders containing patient-specific or drug-specific information (or both) and suggested changes in prescribing or dispensing practices. These reminders must be conveyed in a manner designed to ensure the privacy of patient-related information.

(c) Face-to-face discussions, with follow up discussions when necessary, between health care professionals expert in appropriate drug therapy and selected prescribers and pharmacists who have been targeted for educational intervention on optimal prescribing, dispensing, or pharmacy care practices.

(d) Intensified review or monitoring of selected prescribers or dispensers.