1977 Volume 3 Issue 3 Pages 144-149
It often happens that an outpatient is given too many kinds of drugs on prescriptions issued from two or more departments. We investigated into the tendency on the basis of 7, 196 prescriptions issued to the outpatients in a month. Major findings. 1) 206 outpatients were given prescriptions from two or more departments; 2) 82% of them were pre scribed at two departments, and 5% at more than 4 departments; 3) patients given 7 to 9 kinds of drugs formed the largest group and there were some given about 20 kinds; 4) patients who had received drugs of same effect accounted for 16.6%; 5) 5 patients received drugs in contraindication and 16 were given drugs requiring caution in concomitant use; 6) patients prescribed drugs producing interactions that may cause adverse reactions made up 3.0%. In view of these findings, it is essential for ensuring safety in medical treatment to keep close cooperation not only among physicians, but between physicians and pharmacists. Further, a system should be established for identifying patients treated at two or more departments and their prescriptions.
