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Unfilled prescriptions in pediatric primary care
Rachael T Zweigoron1, Helen J Binns, Robert R Tanz
1Department of Pediatrics, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. rach_zweig@yahoo.com
Pediatrics
|September 26, 2012
Summary
Over 20% of pediatric prescriptions go unfilled, impacting medication adherence. Factors like clinic site and electronic prescribing influence filling rates, suggesting system-level interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Primary Care
- Health Services Research
- Medication Adherence
Background:
- Prescription filling is the critical first step in medication adherence.
- This process has not been adequately studied in pediatric primary care settings.
- Understanding prescription filling rates is essential for improving pediatric health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the rate of unfilled prescriptions in pediatric primary care.
- To identify clinical and demographic factors associated with prescription filling.
- To inform the development of interventions aimed at improving medication adherence.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study using Illinois Medicaid claims data.
- Compared electronic medical record prescription data with insurance claims for 4833 pediatric patients.
- Analyzed 16953 prescriptions over 26 months, assessing filling within 1 and 60 days using logistic regression.
Main Results:
- 78% of all pediatric prescriptions were filled; 69% of filled prescriptions were dispensed within 1 day.
- African American, Hispanic, and male patients showed higher prescription filling rates.
- Antibiotic prescriptions, electronic prescribing, and visits at specific clinic sites were associated with higher filling rates.
Conclusions:
- More than 20% of prescriptions in pediatric primary care remain unfilled.
- Clinical site, visit type, and electronic prescribing are significant system-level factors affecting prescription filling.
- Future interventions to enhance medication adherence must consider these identified factors.
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