千葉県における面分業推進状況の調査と薬局業務の改善に向けた方策

抄録

The separation of dispensing and prescribing (SDP) has moved from the conceptual stage to the implementation stage in Japan, with a current mean national implementation rate of 53.2%. However, since the extent of complete SDP is more indicative of the true situation of SDP than the implementation rate, we devised a survey for determining this and used it to determine the rate in Chiba. Our objective was to try and improve the SDP system.
The survey targeted Chiba Pharmaceutical Association national health insurance pharmacies having a fax machine (1706 out of a total 1824) and we defined the rate for complete SDP as the number of pharmacies receiving less than 70% of prescriptions from a specific medical institution.
A total of 65.7% of the pharmacies received 70% or more of prescriptions from a specific medical institution. Analysis using the X² test revealed a significant difference (p< 0.01) between the less than 70% group and the 70% or greater group and the rate of complete SDP in Chiba was determined to be 20.9%.
One of the aims of the SDP system is to ensure safer and more effective medical treatment by having prescriptions from several medical institutions dispensed at one pharmacy. The current state of SDP is properly indicated not by number of prescriptions being received by pharmacies but by the rate for complete SDP. The 39.9 % rate for complete SDP revealed by our survey suggests that the potential of the SDP system is not being realized. To remedy this, SDP must be implemented jointly by pharmaceutical and medical associations in the future, not by pharmaceutical associations alone.