Related Experiment Videos
Secondary care doctors' perception of appropriate prescribing
Christina Ljungberg1, Asa Kettis Lindblad, Mary Tully
1Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. christina.ljungberg@farmaci.uu.se
Rationale, Aim And Objective:
As the prescribing of drugs in secondary care is known to influence prescribing in primary care and because an understanding of prescribers' reasoning is essential for evaluating prescribing appropriateness, the aim of this study was to investigate secondary care doctors' views of appropriate prescribing, using qualitative individual interviews.
Method:
Qualitative, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 15 hospital doctors working in different medical specialities. The interviews, covering the doctors' views of the meaning of 'appropriate' prescribing, were audiotaped and analysed from an interpretivist perspective.
Results:
Three different main themes were identified in the analysis of how the doctors perceived appropriate prescribing: 'individualization of treatment', 'cost' and 'time'. Most importantly, treatment should be adjusted to the individual patient, although cost should also be justified. Ongoing medication reviews should be carried out, to adjust to changes in patient-related factors over time.
Conclusions:
The hospital doctors brought up continuous review as a necessary part of appropriate prescribing. Thus, from the prescribers' point of view, this time perspective should be explicitly incorporated in definitions of appropriate prescribing, in addition to individualization of treatment and cost considerations.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
01:11Secondary Healthcare System
01:08Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment
01:21Interdisciplinary Care: The Health Care Team-I
Physicians
The physician's primary responsibility is to diagnose illness and direct the medical or surgical treatment of the condition. The authority to admit patients to a healthcare agency or institution and practice care within that setting is granted to physicians by the healthcare agency or institution itself.
01:21Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview