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To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of academic detailing in general practice in the North-East-Flanders region of Belgium. All local quality groups in the study region were randomly allocated to either (1) two academic detailing visits to the individual members or (2) two academic detailing visits during the meetings of the local quality group. During these visits, the results of a systematic review of the literature on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) were presented. Of 14 local quality groups, 12 allocated to the individual intervention agreed to participate. Of the 184 physicians invited to receive an academic detailer, 142 had two visits on NSAIDs. One hundred and five physicians gave their opinion on the visits by means of a questionnaire. The great majority of the responders (90%) wished to receive an academic detailer on other topics in the future, with a frequency of two visits per year. Of 13 local quality groups, 12 allocated to the group intervention, with a total number of 192 physicians who agreed to participate. Ten local quality groups with 166 members received the information on NSAIDs. The actual attendance rate per intervention session was approximately two out of three physicians. All 166 physicians of the participating local quality groups were offered an evaluation form, and 79 responded. Of the responders who received the full group intervention, 88% wished to have more academic detailing visits on other topics in their local quality group. A comparison between the evaluation forms of the individual and the group intervention revealed no major differences concerning the acceptability of the intervention. The pilot study showed that academic detailing is feasible in the North-East-Flanders region of Belgium. Both the individual visits and the visits to the local quality groups were rated positively, and a majority of the general practitioners who returned the evaluation questionnaire wished to receive such visits in the future. The structure of the local quality groups implies limitations to the practical organisation of a visit, but requires less time investment than individual visits.

International research has proved that academic detailing positively influences the prescribing behaviour of physicians. In the North-East Flanders region of Belgium, a quantitative study of the feasibility and acceptability of academic detailing in general practice has demonstrated that academic detailers are appreciated by physicians.In addition to the quantitative study, a qualitative study was carried out to determine physicians' attitudes to academic detailing and their objections against it.This study took place in general practice in the North-East Flanders region of Belgium, using semistructured interviews. Nineteen physicians who had previously had a visit from an academic detailer in the quantitative study, and 19 who had refused were invited for an interview.Eighteen physicians who had been visited by an academic detailer, and nine who had refused a visit agreed to be interviewed. Although most physicians who had had a visit from an academic detailer appreciated the visit, some barriers were revealed. Physicians had doubts about the objectivity, stated that the information was not new or that they had other ways to obtain information. These barriers were also mentioned by the physicians who had refused a visit. Additional barriers were that the visits were time-consuming, meant to cut expenses, politically coloured, and patronising.Doubts about independence and objectivity of the information were stated as important barriers both by physicians who had accepted a visit from an academic detailer and by those who had not. These issues need to be dealt with when designing future interventions with academic detailers.