Prescription data processing--its role in the control of drug abuse

Prescriptions in an outpatient setting were kept on file for immediate recall by computer terminals. Drugs with abuse potential were found to make up 33.6 percent of all prescriptions, and 12.4 percent of these prescriptions were for excessive quantities. An additional 2.6 percent of these prescriptions represented irrationally large quantities of drugs dispensed by multiple prescriptions. The physician was cooperative and willing to correct this situation when it was brought to his attention by the pharmacist.