Rational Prescribing & Prescription Writing Collected and Prepared By S.Bohlooli, Pharm.D, PhD

Introduction After reaching to the Diagnosis, the practitioner can often select from variety of therapeutic approaches. –Drug therapy –Surgery –Psychiatric treatment –Radiation –Physical therapy –Health education –Counseling –No therapy

Rational Prescribing 1.Make a specific diagnosis 2.Consider the pathophysiologic implications 3.Select a specific therapeutic objective 4.Select a drug of choice 5.Determine the appropriate dosing regimen 6.Devise a plan for monitoring the drug’s action and determine an end point for therapy 7.Plan a program of patient education

The Prescription

Elements of the Prescription 1.Identity of prescriber Name, license classification, address, office telephone number 2.Date 3.Name and address of patient 4.Body of prescription Medication, the strength, quantity Dosage and complete directions for use 5.Refill information, waiver for child proof and additional labeling instructions 6.Prescriber Signature and other Identification Data

Abbreviation Used in Prescriptions & Chart Orders

Prescribing Errors Omission of Information As needed (prn) Poor Prescription Writing  Illegible handwriting  Ambiguous decimal points Inappropriate Drug Prescription  Failure to recognize contraindications by other disease  Failure to obtain information about other drugs  Failure to recognize possible physicochemical incompatibility Prescriptions should be legible, unambiguous, dated and timed

Compliance The extent to which patients follow the treatment instructions Types of noncompliance  The patient fail to obtain the medication  The patient fail to take the medication as prescribed: wrong dosage, wrong frequency of administration, improper timing, wrong route or technique of administration, taking medication for the wrong purpose  The patient prematurely discontinue the medication  The patient takes medication improperly.

Strategies to improve compliance Enhanced communications Assessment of personal, social and economic conditions Development of a routine for taking the medications Provision of systems to assist taking medications Mailing of the refill reminders by pharmacist

Labeled and Unlabeled Uses of Drugs

Socioeconomic factors Generic Prescribing  If the physician wants a particular brand of drug product dispensed handwriting instruction to “Dispense as written “ is required. Other Cost Factors  Professional service fee

Good Luck