E-drug: Recipe per patient (cont)
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[Albert Figueras has provided clarification in response to requests.
The original posting in Spanish was from Dr Carlos Berrios, asking
about the practice and implications for recording, etc, in other
countries. BS]:
Let's suppose that a patient goes to a primary health care centre. His doctor
prescribes him: acetaminophen and amoxycillin. In some countries the doctor
must fill two papers, both containing patient's name, patients NHS affiliation
number, doctor's name, doctor's NHS number, and date.
Then the patient goes to a pharmacy to buy both drugs, and the
pharmacist will take both recipes so he will be reimbursed for the price of
both medications. This is what Carlos means with a "Recipe per drug". One
recipe per drug makes it easy to "count" drugs.
The alternative seems more rational: just one paper: several drug
names one under the other. If the pharmacy has a PC on-line, NHS
Authorities are able to know automatically how many people had been
prescribed acetaminophen since February 1st. to February 8th. in 30
seconds.
However, there are some potential disadvantages: if (let's say) the country has
a "high prescription level" (in number of drugs, I mean), if a doctor can write
as many drugs as he "wants" in a single paper, this can favour over
prescription.
If one must fill four recipes, it is possible that he thinks it twice
and decides just to prescribe the "essential".
Dr Carlos Berrios
AIS-Nicaragua
Apt 184, Matagalpa, Nicaragua
tel 505-6124462
fax 505-6122458
E-Mail aisnic@ibw.com.ni
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