E-DRUG: Indicators for hospital in-patient drug prescribing

e-drug
1

E-drug: Indicators for hospital in-patient drug prescribing
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Dear e-druggers,

The subject of indicators for prescribing for hospital in-patients
remains somewhat problematic. Whereas WHO and INRUD have
developed prescribing indicators for out-patient encounters, these
indicators are not necessarily appropriate for in-patient prescribing
practices, as prescribers, patients and prescribing environments may
vary considerably. Blindly applying the INRUD indicators would
probably give incomparable results.

Yet there is a serious need to have tools to describe practices in these
environments, to allow for comparisons and to design intervention
studies.

The 1997 International Conference of Improving Use of Medicines
(ICIUM) in Thailand had some 4 presentations on hospital drug use
(see list below), but they did not go that deep into development of
drug use indicators. I wondered what has been done so far in this
field. Are there more clear ideas now about which are appropriate
drug use indicators for in-patient prescribing? Are such indicators
possible at all?

I would like E-druggers to present any information they have on
studies they know about, or that they are conducting themselves.

Thanks for your help,

Hilbrand Haak
Consultants for Health and Development
Leiden, The Netherlands
e-mail: HaakH@compuserve.com

Literature:
- Anti-asthmatic drug utilization trends in Hong Kong. Kou M, Kumana
  CR, Ip MSM, Lauder II.
- The application of ABC (Pareto) analysis to drug consumption data
  for targeting interventions. Lee D, Miralles MA, Rankin I, Valdes
  Duron I, Cruz C, Ruiz de Esparza I.
- Rational prescribing of five selected drugs at hospitals in Zimbabwe.
  Trap B, Lessing C, Levy L.
- Pattern of diarrhea treatment in teaching hospitals in Thailand.
  Varavithya W, Phichaipat V, Harikel S.
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