Evaluation of Drug Use Pattern in Emergency Department of Dilchora Referral Hospital, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background. Drug use evaluation is a system of continuous, systematic, criteria-based drug evaluation that ensures the appropriate use of drugs. Rationalization of drug therapy in emergency medicine would be useful in managing the broad array of conditions that present for emergency care. High-quality drug utilization is associated with the use of a relatively limited number of essential medicines. The World Health Organization developed core drug use indicators for conducting drug utilization studies in healthcare setting. WHO core drug use indicators including prescribing indicators, patient care indicators, and health facility indicators are used nowadays. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the drug use pattern in the Emergency Department of Dilchora Referral Hospital, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, 2018. Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of Dilchora Referral Hospital from July 20 to August 19, 2018, using structured data collection format. Result. Out of 344 prescriptions analyzed, a total of 753 medications were prescribed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.19. Of drugs prescribed, 685 (90.97%) were in their generic names. Antibiotics were prescribed in 95 (27.62%) of encounters, and injections were prescribed in 154 (44.77%) of encounters. Among 753 medications prescribed, the name and strength of drugs are indicated in 100% and 95.22%, respectively. 679 (90.17%) of drugs were prescribed from the essential drug list of Ethiopia. Conclusion. The findings of this study revealed that the drug utilization pattern was not optimal in accordance with the standard values of WHO prescribing indicators. Some of the prescribing indicators like overprescribing of antibiotics and injections were a problem. Therefore, it is very imperative for the concerned stakeholders and healthcare providers to work toward ensuring drug use according to the standard.

Evaluation of Rational Use of Medicine Using WHO/INRUD Core Drug Use Indicators at Teda and Azezo Health Centers, Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia

“…However, a higher value was reported by the study done at Gondar University Teaching Referral Hospital (28.5), 18 Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (53.1), 29 Hawassa University Teaching and Referral Hospital (38.1%), 20 Dilchora Referral Hospital (44.77%), 21 Debre Markos Referral Hospital (48.36%), 66 and Mekelle General Hospital (42.2%) in Ethiopia; 27 Khartoum State, Sudan (57.6%), 35 and Nashik, India (50.83%). 54 The difference may be due to the difference in the level of care of the institution.…”

Drugs utilization profile in England and Wales in the past 15 years: a secular trend analysis

“…In the UK, between 1999 and 2009, the yearly number of prescriptions dispensed increased by 65%, from about 653 million to 1,074 million (from 11 per person to 17.4 per person) [ 12 , 13 ]. Medication use assessment has a critical role in promoting the effective and rational use of pharmaceutical medications [ 14 , 15 ]. Determining medication consumption and prescription patterns affords beneficial feedback to prescribers to advance their prescribing practice [ 16 ].…”

Evaluation of drug prescription pattern using World Health Organization prescribing indicators in public health facilities found in Ethiopia: systematic reviews and meta-analysis

“…It is a system of collecting information to identify issues related to drug use and, eventually, to take steps to address the identified problem. Evaluation of drug use has a significant role to play in encouraging the rational use of pharmaceutical drugs and effective prescribing patterns [ 1 , 2 ]. Reasonable drug use (RDU) includes proper prescribing; drug dispensing; and patient use for diagnosis, prevention, and disease treatment [ 3 ].…”

“…As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), more than half of all medicines in the world are inappropriately prescribed in developing countries, where monitoring and evaluation of drug utilization are at an embryonic stage [ 6 ]. In addition, nearly, one-third of the world's population lacks access to essential medicines [ 1 ]. Irrational drug use will cause excessive community healthcare demand, and inevitably there will be medication stock-outs and deterioration of patient trust in the quality of health care service [ 7 ].…”