OBJECTIVE: To discuss various aspects of drug prescription for first-year resident physicians (MIR-1) working in Emergency Departments in order to promote a rational use of drugs, and to assess the impact of such pharmaceutical intervention. METHOD: During personal interviews MIR-1s were briefed (both orally and in written form) on prescription characteristics of their department. Both qualitative (compliance with the Pharmaco-therapeutic Guide, prescription of drugs with low intrinsic value) and quantitative (prescription profile for medicines with the same active principle but different price) parameters were discussed. Then the impact of these interviews was analysed by comparing outpatient prescriptions by MIR-1s during August-November 2000 versus those filled by their colleagues during this same period in 1998 and 1999. RESULTS: Outpatient prescriptions by the MIR-1 group conformed better to the qualitative and quantitative parameters studied. Despite such better results, greater savings may still be obtained by improving quinolone/macrolide, anti-ulcer drug, ACE inhibitor and NSAID prescriptions, since these amount to 93% of total potential savings. DISCUSSION: By conducting personal interviews with a pharmacist new MIR-1s encounter an additional information source contributing to more sensible drug prescriptions.
OBJECTIVE: To discuss various aspects of drug prescription for first-year resident physicians (MIR-1) working in Emergency Departments in order to promote a rational use of drugs, and to assess the impact of such pharmaceutical intervention. METHOD: During personal interviews MIR-1s were briefed (both orally and in written form) on prescription characteristics of their department. Both qualitative (compliance with the Pharmaco-therapeutic Guide, prescription of drugs with low intrinsic value) and quantitative (prescription profile for medicines with the same active principle but different price) parameters were discussed. Then the impact of these interviews was analysed by comparing outpatient prescriptions by MIR-1s during August-November 2000 versus those filled by their colleagues during this same period in 1998 and 1999. RESULTS:Outpatient prescriptions by the MIR-1 group conformed better to the qualitative and quantitative parameters studied. Despite such better results, greater savings may still be obtained by improving quinolone/macrolide, anti-ulcer drug, ACE inhibitor and NSAID prescriptions, since these amount to 93% of total potential savings. DISCUSSION: By conducting personal interviews with a pharmacist new MIR-1s encounter an additional information source contributing to more sensible drug prescriptions.