The 'one-write' prescribing method: applications for patient monitoring and research.

This article examines a method called 'one-write prescribing', designed for use by family physicians. The method produces three copies. The original is issued to the patient who takes it to the pharmacist, the second copy is attached to the inside cover of the patient's medical record, and the third copy is retained for research purposes. The findings of a two-year comparative study, conducted by a solo family physician who developed the method, are presented. Based on the results of this study, a modified version of the method is recommended as a convenient system which physicians can use to assess their own prescribing behaviors. This method will enable physicians to monitor their own patients better as well as to compare prescribing patterns between practices.