[Utilization of medication by the elderly in Argentine]

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Public Health Policy

Context:

• The National Institute of Social Services for Retirees and Pensioners of Argentine (INSSJP) manages a large elderly population.
• Prescription data was historically used only for billing, lacking analytical depth.

Purpose:

• To implement an information system for analyzing prescription drug plans.
• To evaluate prescriptions from pharmacotherapeutic and economic perspectives.
• To guide administrative and informational interventions for quality improvement and cost reduction.

Summary:

• An information system integrated prescription data with pharmacological and economic information.
• Monthly reports on drug consumption and expenditures by therapeutic groups were generated.
• Interventions included establishing a drug formulary and modifying coverage to promote single-ingredient drugs.

Impact:

• The system enabled periodic evaluation of prescription profiles nationally and regionally.
• It facilitated the introduction of a drug formulary and coverage modifications.
• The impact of interventions on prescription patterns and costs was successfully assessed.