The effect of prescription patterns on the performance of the pharmacy department of a Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda

ABSTRACT

Background:

Poor drug prescription patterns (PP) result in irrational medicine use, avoidable stock outs and drug expiries.

Objective:

This study primarily assessed the effects of PP on the performance of the pharmacy department (PD) of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) Uganda.

Methods:

This was a mixed method cross-sectional study conducted in the outpatient department (OPD) of MRRH, questionnaires were administered to 86 prescribers and 300 patient prescriptions were reviewed. Ethical clearance was granted and informed consent of patients. Data were analysed, presented in the form of graphs, tables.

Results:

The overall prescription fill rate was 60.5%, being higher among dental officers and lower among those who did not adhere to generic prescribing and EML. Medical officers made most prescriptions at 69.3%. Prescriptions with four (47.1%) and six (17.5%) medicines respectively were made by clinical officers. Of the 300 prescriptions, 76% adhered to the Essential Medicines List (EML), 62% used generic name including 87.3% from dental officers and 52.9% by clinical officersThe overall prescription fill rate was 60.5%, being higher among dental officers and lower among those who did not adhere to generic prescribing and EML. Medical officers made most prescriptions at 69.3%. Prescriptions with four (47.1%) and six (17.5%) medicines respectively were made by clinical officers. Of the 300 prescriptions, 76% adhered to the Essential Medicines List (EML), 62% used generic name including 87.3% from dental officers and 52.9% by clinical officers.

Conclusion:

Prescription pattern affected the performance of the PD of MRRH, calling for its continued monitoring to ensure that guidelines are upheld, EML and UCG are availed and utilized.

KEYWORDS:

• Medicines
• prescription practices
• pharmacy performance
• rational drug use

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript did not receive funding for publication. However, it is prepared from a master’s dissertation that was conducted to fulfil the requirement of a master’s degree in Health Supply Chain Management, in EAC RCE–VIHSCM. This master’s degree was funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank.

Notes on contributors

Gerald Manzi Mbabazize

Gerald Manzi Mbabazize is junior researcher who is working at Mbarara hospital, Uganda as Pharmacist. He recently graduated with a master degree in Health Supply Chain Management from the University of Rwanda. He is passionate about health commodities management.

Vedaste Kagisha

Vedaste Kagisha is a researcher and Senior Lecturer of analytical chemistry and medicines quality control at the University of Rwanda. He published papers in various areas such as medicine quality control, herbal medicines standardization and health commodities supply chain management.

Kato J. Njunwa

Kato J. Njunwa is Emeritus Professor of Medical Entomology and Parasitology of the University of Rwanda. He has published widely on various malaria control aspects. He has been a leader in research and postgraduate studies, being consistently promoting academic writing among young lecturers.

Joseph Oloro

Joseph Oloro is a Lecturer of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda. His major area of research interest is Toxicology. He had training in Basic Laboratory Animal Science at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands with a Species-Specific specialization in Rodents in 2019. His interest in Safety Pharmacology spans many areas including Drug and Biologicals safety.