Junko TsukmotoYu YniAkiko KnetKyoko Oyshi Tkuy Arki,Koujirou Ymmoto

aDepartment of Pharmacy,Gunma University Hospital,3-39-15 Showa-machi,Maebashi 371-8511,Japan

bDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology,Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine,3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi 371-8511,Japan

Signifcance of three step prescription checking by pharmacists

Mikako Shimonea,*,Daisuke Naganob,Asami Matsushitaa, Junko Tsukamotoa,Yu Yanaia,Akiko Kanetaa,Kyoko Obayashia, Takuya Arakia,b,Koujirou Yamamotoa,b

aDepartment of Pharmacy,Gunma University Hospital,3-39-15 Showa-machi,Maebashi 371-8511,Japan

bDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology,Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine,3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi 371-8511,Japan

A R T I C L E I N F O

Article history:

Available online 25 November 2015

Prescription checking

Safe management

Data analysis

Questionable points to physicians

In many hospitals,prescription checks are conducted by 2 or 3 individual pharmacists at each step of prescription checking,dispensing,and fnal checking to maintain the safety and effcacy of pharmaceutical therapies in Japan[1,2]. In Gunma University Hospital,we also check all prescriptions by 3 pharmacists at each step of dispensing(3 step prescription check system)with the exception of night time. In this study,to assess the signifcance of our 3 step prescription check system for managing safety of pharmaceutical therapies,we investigated prescriptions that needed the confrmation of questionable points and prescription corrections.

All prescriptions for internal or external medicines printed during 3 months from April to June 2015 were reviewed,and those that needed confrmation of questionable points to physicians were extracted.The type of questionable points were classifed to usage,dosage,duration of administration,duplication of medicine,interactions,dosage form,error of comments made by prescribing physician,and others.The steps of dispensing process in which pharmacists found questionable points were also analyzed.

During investigation period,24,516 prescriptions were printed at the department of pharmacy.Questionable points were found in 270 prescriptions and those were checked with prescribing doctors.The confrmation of dosage and usage was done in 90(33.3%)and 69(25.6%),respectively.Around 20%of the object medicines checked with prescribing physicians were antibiotics(25,15.5%),anticoagulant drugs(12,7.3%)and diabetes drugs(9,5.7%).

Of 270 prescriptions harboring questionable points,222 (82.2%)were found at prescription checking step,and 23(8.5%) were found at dispensing step and 25(9.2%)were found at fnal check step.This result indicated that 20%of questionable points may not be recognized by checking with only one pharmacist.Next,we assess the detail of clinical effcacy of our 3 step check system,and we will also consider the use of prescription check by computer such as automatic prescription checking systems and assess its effcacy and safety.

Fig.1–The step which found questionable points.

R E F E R E N C E S

[1]Koji N,Tetsuo A,Chieko T,et al.Analysis of inquiries about prescriptions at the pharmacy of Gifu Pharmaceutical University.Yakugaku Zasshi 2001;121:837–844.

[2]Tadashi S,Takashi N,Naoko N,et al.Investigating the usefulness of a prescription checking system in risk management.Jpn J Pharm Health Care Sci 2003;29:73–76.

*E-mail address:mikako-shimone@gunma-u.ac.jp.

Peer review under responsibility of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajps.2015.11.030

1818-0876/?2016 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.on behalf of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).