Table 1 Baseline characteristics of general practitioners and patients in the OPTICA intervention group

General practitioners (n = 21)

Practice location

 Rural (%)

9 (43%)

 Urban/suburban (%)

12 (57%)

Age in years, mean [SD], median [IQR]

50 [9],

51 [44 to 58]

Female (%)

3 (14%)

Work experience as general practitioner (GP) in years, mean [SD], median [IQR]

14 [9],

12 [8 to 22]

Average number of consultations per workday, mean [SD], median [IQR]

23 [5],

25 [20 to 25]

Practice form

 Individual practice (%)

2 (10%)

 Group practice (%)

19 (90%)

Self-dispensation of medications in GP office

 Yes (%)

7 (33)

 No (%)

14 (67)

Drug-drug interaction checker available as standard of care in her systems

 Yes (%)

1 (5)

 No (%)

20 (95)

Patients (n=160)

Age in years, mean [SD], median [IQR]

78 [7],

77 [73 to 83]

Female (%)

71 (44%)

Highest education level

 Less than mandatory schooling (%)

3 (2%)

 Mandatory schooling (%)

56 (35%)

 High school degree or apprenticeship (%)

75 (47%)

 University or equivalent (%)

22 (14%)

 Other (%)

2 (1%)

Number of long-term medications at baseline, mean [SD], median [IQR]

7 [4],

7 [4 to 10]

Number of chronic conditions at baseline, mean [SD], median [IQR]

7 [5],

6 [4 to 9]