BACKGROUND: The doctor's bag should contain essential drugs to treat life threatening emergencies and other serious medical conditions. Practitioners may require these drugs for treating patients in their offices, on home visits and particularly in rural practice for emergency home and roadside calls. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which medications and equipment need to be included in the doctor's bag. DISCUSSION: The selection of the most appropriate drugs provided by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is discussed. Oral and inhaler preparations for certain specific conditions are also included. Storage and safe keeping of drugs is an important consideration.
BACKGROUND: The doctor's bag should contain essential drugs to treat life threatening emergencies and other serious medical conditions. Practitioners may require these drugs for treating patients in their offices, on home visits and particularly in rural practice for emergency home and roadside calls. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which medications and equipment need to be included in the doctor's bag. DISCUSSION: The selection of the most appropriate drugs provided by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is discussed. Oral and inhaler preparations for certain specific conditions are also included. Storage and safe keeping of drugs is an important consideration.