E-drug: Indicators of optimum prescribing
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Dear Colleagues,
We had some discussion last October regarding indicators for optimum
prescribing. I would appreciate some extra information. Australia has
developed indicators for measuring optimum drug use. Which other
countries have indicators? I realise work is currently under way here in
the US. Please e-mail me directly if you have any sort of manual
available and with the address of the contact person from whom I can
request further information. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Josephine T. Maundu, Pharmacist
Graduate Student, MPH
Department of Epidemiology
University of Washington
Box 357236
Seattle, Wa 98195-7236
Tel:206-616-2080
E-mail:thitu@u.washington.edu
[The first thing to do is to consult the WHO manual: "How to
investigate drug use in health facilities: Selected drug use indicators",
Document WHO/DAP/93.1. Available from the Action Programme on
Essential Drugs, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland, fax: +41-22-791.4167 and e-mail: dapmail@who.ch
This manual also presents several examples of indicator studies from
developing countries. You probably also want to take a look at the
website of the International Conference on Improved Use of Medicines
(ICIUM) with examples of drug use research from many countries in
the world (http://www.who.int/dap-icium/index.html). Finally, you can
send an e-mail to the secretariat of the International Network on
Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) to request the INRUD drug use
bibliography in Reference Manager (e-mail: inrud@msh.org). This
bibliography is the most extensive compilation of drug use related
publications and should give you the best examples of published data.
Drug use indicators are becoming common place now in measuring
and monitoring drug prescribing and there are many more examples
available. E-druggers are encouraged to help our colleague with data.
Hilbrand Haak, E-drug moderator]
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