Abstract

ANALYSIS OF OUTPATIENT PRESCRIPTION PATTERN PRESCRIBED BY MBBS AND MD DOCTORS IN AHMEDABAD CITY

Ashley G. Saures, Mihirkumar P. Borad* and Sheena Thomas

ABSTRACT

The prescribing of medications is an essential part of the provision of health and represents a relatively safe and effective mode of treatment. The objective of this study is to analysis the prescription pattern across MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) and MD (Doctor of Medicine) doctors in an outpatient setting at Ahmedabad city. The study sample included 1300 valid outpatient prescriptions which met the inclusion criteria presenting 16 randomly selected community pharmacies across 4 zones in Ahmedabad city. The samples were collected for over a period of 2 months. The prescriptions was then compared and analysed for completeness and WHO (World Health Organisation) core indicators across MBBS and MD profiles. The 1300 prescriptions in the study were for a total 5515 of drugs (2755 drugs prescribed by 35 MBBS doctors whereas 2760 drugs prescribed by 48 MD doctors). Fixed dose combination was dominated among both prescribers, many of which were irrational. Prescribing drugs by generic name was 8.69% in case of MBBS and 10.29% in case of MD. Prescribing pattern also showed polypharmacy with average number of drugs per prescription 4.23 and 4.24 by MBBS and MD, respectively. Antibiotics were 1132 (402 by MBBS and 730 by MD) while injectable drugs were 4% by MBBS and 1.53% by MD. Our study highlighted the prescribing patterns among MBBS and MD doctors. Special attention needs to be given to MBBS, in terms of generic prescribing and prescribing drugs from Essential Medicine List.

Keywords: Prescription pattern, MBBS, MD, Outpatient, WHO Essential Drug List, Ahmadabad.