A Descriptive Study to Determine Prescription Compliance of Dispensary in a Polyclinic Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital
Introduction: The nonavailability of medicines is a multifactorial problem in India, and several factors contribute to it. The nonavailability of medicines in public health facilities has severe consequences for the health and well-being of the population, particularly the poor and marginalized comm...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Medical Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmms.jmms_91_24 |
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| Summary: | Introduction:
The nonavailability of medicines is a multifactorial problem in India, and several factors contribute to it. The nonavailability of medicines in public health facilities has severe consequences for the health and well-being of the population, particularly the poor and marginalized communities. Patients who rely on public health facilities are often unable to afford the high cost of drugs in private pharmacies and must turn to government-run facilities for their medical needs. When medicines are not available in these facilities, patients are forced to either go without treatment or seek treatment from unlicensed providers. This study aimed to determine prescription compliance of a dispensary in a polyclinic outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital.
Materials and Methods:
The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data collection spanned over 3 months, involving 1660 prescription slips of patients and from various records and documents of the facility. Data were analyzed in MS Excel and descriptive statistics were computed.
Results:
The study was conducted at the OPD of a tertiary care hospital from December 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023. Prescription compliance, assessed over the 3 months, reflects the availability of prescribed medications at the dispensary throughout the research duration. The findings revealed a combination of full compliance at 58.33% and partial compliance at 41.67%. A full compliance rate of 58.33% means that about 58.33% of all prescribed medications were fully available, meeting the requirement for complete compliance. On the other hand, a partial compliance rate of 41.67% shows that approximately 41.67% of prescribed medications were only partly available, showing partial compliance. This information highlights the different levels of medication availability seen in the health-care facility during the study time.
Conclusion:
The assessment identifies major hurdles impeding the availability of drugs in health-care institutions, including inadequate forecasting, insufficient ordering practices, and absence of audit mechanisms through review of records. Possible solutions involve establishing uniform protocols for procurement and distribution, educating staff on inventory control, and integrating IT-driven supply chains. Essential infrastructure upgrades and workforce development are imperative for lasting enhancements in drug accessibility, pivotal for realizing universal health coverage in India. |
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| ISSN: | 0975-3605 2589-1235 |