We focused on pharmacists' inquiries concerning inpatient prescriptions in order to evaluate their role as a risk manager. Our study of inpatient prescriptions was conducted in two months, April and July of 2002. The frequency of inquiries concerning fixed prescriptions was twice that of emergency, urgent, and stockpiled prescriptions. Major inquiries with regard to fixed prescriptions concerned number of days and number of times, and relatively few concerned dosages. On the other hand, relatively few inquiries with regard to emergency, urgent, and stockpiled prescriptions concerned number of days and number of times, though a relatively large number concerned dosages. About 1.6% of inpatient prescriptions were subject to inquiries and for about 75% of these 1.6%, prescription was changed or stopped. These results suggest that through making inquiries regarding prescriptions, a very important task, pharmacists are fully functioning in their role of risk manager.
