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Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the quantum and type of errors in prescription writing and to determine the percentage of prescriptions complying to TRUST guidelines. Our study investigates the south Indian scenario of prescribing errors which despite existing guidelines and indicators is being flouted widely by prescribers.
Materials and methods: This is a cross sectional study done at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, from July to September 2019. The investigator visited various pharmacy desks of the institution and took prints of computerised and xerox of the hand-written prescriptions without patient or doctor identifiers. The so collected prescriptions were analysed according to the MS excel spreadsheet format under various categories. Based on the percentage of prescription errors corresponding to age, strength and dose/frequency observed in earlier publications and with 95% confidence and 20% allowable error the sample size taken was 300.
Results and Conclusion: The total number of prescriptions collected were 300 of which 58.7 % were computerized and 41.3% were handwritten. Among the handwritten prescriptions 78.1% were legible and capital letters were not used for drug names in 100% of cases. Generic names were used in 4.2% of all prescriptions. Non pharmacological instructions were used in 0.3% of all prescriptions.The average of total number of drugs used in a prescription was 2.25. This study showed very clearly that despite awareness and sensitization to prescription writing there were many transgressions from guidelines. There is need to re- sensitize doctors periodically to ensure appropriate and effective prescribing.