Consequences of over-prescribing on the dispensing process in rural Nepal

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of increasing numbers of drugs prescribed on the dispensing process in rural Nepal. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey, on average 25 exiting patients per facility in 33 government health facilities. OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of cases where there was a dispensing error, and where the patient knew the dosing schedules of the dispensed drugs. RESULTS: A greater number of drug items prescribed and dispensed per patient was significantly associated with a greater percentage of cases where there was a dispensing error (P = 0.00000), and where the patient did not know the dosing schedules of the dispensed drugs (P = 0.00000). CONCLUSION: The prescribing (and dispensing) of more drugs per patient, an indication of overprescription, is associated with significantly poorer dispensing.