A comparison of in-patient and out-patient prescribing

The prescribing of psychotropic medication to 96 attenders at a lithium clinic was compared with their prescriptions while in-patients. As out-patients, they received fewer psychotropic drugs fewer times a day. This suggests that psychiatrists do not adopt intransigent stances in favour of polypharmacy and irrational psychotropic prescribing, as previous studies have implied. Caution is advised before attributing apparently irrational prescribing to bad clinical practice, or advocating remedial action aimed at changing the habits of prescribers.