Academic Detailing At a Glance  What is Academic Detailing?

1. The Components of Academic Detailing
Academic detailing focuses on clinical topics where there are gaps between evidence-based guidelines and typical practice patterns. Educational modules are developed after synthesizing the findings of the best available studies into key messages clear directives for practicing clinicians. These training materials form the basis of in-person presentations and discussions between academic detailers and prescribers.

2. Quality Improvements and Cost Savings
When prescribing practices are aligned with the best scientific evidence, quality of care improves. More effective care yields better patient outcomes and decreased complication rates which can lower healthcare costs.

By aligning prescribing practices with the best scientific evidence, this educational service will improve the quality of care.  Better patient outcomes and decreased complication rates should also help control health care costs.

3. How is Academic Detailing different from Pharmaceutical Industry Detailing?
The goal of industry detailing is to promote the sale of a company’s product.  Academic detailers, on the other hand, have no commercial bias toward a particular drug or approach to care and they offer tailored, evidence-based clinical recommendations unrelated to a given product or to generating commercial sales.  The goal is better outcomes for patients.