Assessment of Prescription Errors and Prescribing Indicators in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan

Authors

  • Faria Ahmed Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Qazi Rehan Ahmad Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Shabnam Mazhar Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Tariq Mehmood Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Wazeer Muhammad Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan; Center for Advanced Studies in Vacinology and Biotechnology (CASVAB), University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Durdana Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31580/pjmls.v6i3.2594

Keywords:

Healthcare quality, Medication safety, Prescription errors, Prescribing indicators, Rational drug use

Abstract

The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.

Author Biographies

  • Faria Ahmed, Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
    The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.
  • Qazi Rehan Ahmad, Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
    The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.
  • Shabnam Mazhar, Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
    The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.
  • Tariq Mehmood, Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
    The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.
  • Wazeer Muhammad, Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan; Center for Advanced Studies in Vacinology and Biotechnology (CASVAB), University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan
    The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.
  • Durdana, Department of Pharmacy Services, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex, Quetta, Pakistan
    The safe use of prescribed drugs is important for a patient’s quality of life. A large no of inappropriate prescriptions will be harmful to patient life and health. The study of the medication use for prescription indicators and prescription errors is important to increase rational drug use. The main reason for conducting this study was to evaluate rational drug use based on WHO/INRUD-core drug use indicators and prescription errors in Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayyed Medical Complex Quetta, Pakistan. A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted from July to November 2022. A total of 300 out-patient prescriptions retained at the hospital pharmacy from April to June 2022 were collected using a random sampling technique in July from the hospital’s records and were evaluated. A total of 878 drugs were prescribed in 282 different prescriptions. The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.1, percentage of the medicine prescribed by the generic name was only 0.11%. The ratio of encounters with an antibiotic was 63.47% and with the injections, it was 1.06%. The percentage of drugs from the essential list was 100%. With respect to prescription errors related to the patient the name, age, weight, gender, and diagnosis were mentioned in 97.87%, 50.35%, 0%, 52.83%, and 2.48% of prescriptions respectively. On account of errors related to the prescriber the prescriber's name, signature, name of the department, directions to use medicines, refilling details, follow-up schedule, drug duplication, and legibility of handwriting were found to be  72.69%, 84.04%, 71.63%, 57.09%, 0%, 0%, 2.83%, and 76.95% respectively. The assessment of commission errors revealed that the dose of the drug, frequency, dosage form, quantity to supply and duration of therapy were mentioned in 32.97%, 78.01%, 95.03%, 34.39%, and 5.67% of the prescriptions. The evaluation of drug-drug interactions reported that 17.02% of prescriptions had interactions and major interactions accounted for 46.15% of the total interactions. Our study depicts that most of the prescribers are not acquainted with WHO guidelines for prescription writing or did not follow the guidelines which could have a serious impact on health and the economy. This study can help in designing policies that will promote the safe and effective use of drugs in the hospital.

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2023-09-30

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Vol. 6 No. 3 (2023): July-September

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