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Original Research



Prescription auditing based on the World Health Organization prescribing indicators in inpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Kerala

Dhanya T H, Sanalkumar K B, Andrews M A.




Abstract

Background: Irrational prescribing is rampant worldwide. Rational prescribing is the need of hour. Prescription or medication audit can foster rational prescribing and acts as benchmark for comparison with future audit. Core prescribing indicators are highly standardized and formulated to assess rational drug use.

Aim and Objectives: The objectives of study were to study major drug groups prescribed, assess Rational Prescription pattern by measuring World Health Organization (WHO) Core Prescribing Indicators and assess quality of prescriptions at General Medicine Inpatient Department in a tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods: It was an analytical cross-sectional study done in the department of general medicine, in a tertiary care hospital for a period of 6 months. Approval from Institutional Research Committee and Institutional Ethics Committee were taken before starting the study. A total of 779 prescriptions were analyzed.

Results: 779 prescriptions were analyzed. About 56.5% prescriptions were of males and 43.5% of females. Mean age of the patients was 56 years. A total of 4370 medicines were prescribed in 776 prescriptions. Due to lack of legibility, we were unable to decode ten medicines out of 4350 medicines prescribed. The dosage forms prescribed were; oral 95.7%, injections 3.8%, inhalational agents 0.4%, and topical agents 0.2%. Average number of medicines per prescription was 5.6. Percentage of medicines prescribed by generic name was 41%. Percentage of antibiotics per prescription was 25%. Percentage of injections per prescription was 21.1%. Percentage of medicines prescribed as per National Essential Drugs List (EDL) (2015) was 2.6% and as per WHO EDL (20th list March 2017) was 1.7%. Percentage of fixed dose combinations (FDCs) was 5.3%.

Conclusions: From the findings in this study, all prescribing indicators except percentage of antibiotics per prescription showed deviation from the WHO standards. All the prescriptions were legible.

Key words: Prescription Auditing; Prescribing Indicators; Inpatient Department






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