E-DRUG: Sustainable prescribing compliance at PHC centres in Nepal (4)
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Dear e-Druggers,
We have been informed of sustained compliance of prescribers
to standard treatments following regular peer discussion groups. This is
indeed very good news. The factors of the excellent compliance need to be
thoroughly investigated so that replication attempts in other settings can be intensified. We are all acutely aware that non compliance to standard
treatments, is one factor of sub-optimal/irrational use of medicines, that
continues as a global problem.
We have noticed in a number of health service delivery settings in various
countries, that the formal prescription is not the only way that treatments are ordered for patients. The formal prescription is
only one key for release of medicines from dispensaries. Checking the
prescriptions only, has therefore not always been totally satisfactory as an assessment of improved use of medicines. Prescription data, needs to be
checked against dispensary records as correlation in the inventory of target products with prescription data is often difficult. In addition household medicine cupboards and dosage consumptions all need checking to really see if improved, prescription, dispensing, and patient use of medicines is occurring rather than just improved formal prescription writing.
Phillip Passmore PhD
Manager ANTARA Medical Supplies Management Sub-program
NTT Province Indonesia
Adjunct Senior Lecturer
Curtin University of Technology
School of Pharmacy
Western Australia
psmint@iinet.net.au