American Journal of Internal Medicine

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The Evaluation of Physician Counseling when Prescribing New Medications: An Observational, Survey Study

Received: 02 February 2020    Accepted: 18 February 2020    Published: 03 March 2020
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Abstract

Patient education about medications being used highly improves the quality of proper use and compliance, to which the WHO has created guidelines of good prescribing. The main objective of this observational study is to assess the effectiveness of physician counseling and their compliance to the WHO guidelines to good prescribing when given the chance to prescribing new medications to patients coming for a follow up in various clinics in the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital in the form of a survey over a period of two weeks. 401 patient interviews were randomly chosen and included in the data analysis. 33 physicians were assigned in the survey, from which there were 7 cardiologists, 5 general practitioners, 3 diabetologists, 3 dermatologists, 2 endocrinologists, 5 pediatricians, 3 vascular surgeons, and 5 internists. The survey was developed based on the standards mentioned in the WHO guidelines. The main outcome was to observe and assess how efficient are physicians from various clinics in successfully prescribing new medications to patients through ten WHO standards. Data revealed that in general and for the most part the quality of instructions and information given to patients while prescribing new medications was relatively unsatisfactory in most clinics, although it was found that prescribing patterns differs from one physician to the other.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12
Published in American Journal of Internal Medicine (Volume 8, Issue 2, March 2020)
Page(s) 57-61
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Survey, Observational Study, WHO Guidelines, Good Prescribing, New Medications

References
[1] Richard Ofori-Asenso. A closer look at the World Health Organization's prescribing indicators. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics [Internet] 2016 Jan-Mar [cited 10 July 2019]; 7 (1): 51-54. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4831494/.
[2] De Vries TPGM, Henning RH, Hogerzeil HV, Fresle DA. Guide to good prescribing: a practical manual. Generva: World health organization, 1994. (WHO/DAP/94.11).
[3] Fitzgerald RJ. Medication errors: the importance of an accurate drug history. British journal of clinical pharmacology. 2009; 67 (6): 671-5.
[4] Pounds G, De Pablos-Ortega C. Patient- centered communication in British, Italian and Spanish ‘Ask-the-Expert’ healthcare websites. Communication &medicine. 2015; 12 (2-3): 225-41.
[5] Berry DC, Knapp P, Raynor DK. Provision of information about drug side-effects to patients. Lancet (London, England). 2002; 359 (9309): 853-4.
[6] N. Barber. What Constitutes good prescribing. BMJ [Internet] 1995 Apr. 8; 923-925. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2549298/.
[7] Weiss MC, Platt J, Riley R, Chewning B, Taylor G, Horrocks S, Taylor A. Medication decision making and patient outcomes in GP, nurse and pharmacist prescriber consultations. Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2015 Sep16; 513-527. Available from: https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/8302D507A16EB5814405724276E7EC79/S146342361400053Xa.pdf/medication_decision_making_and_patient_outcomes_in_gp_nurse_and_pharmacist_prescriber_consultations.pdf.
[8] Barbara Farrell, Dee Mangin. Deprescribing Is an Essential Part of Good Prescribing. Am Fam Physician. 2019 Jan 1 [Cited 17 February 2020]; 99 (1): 7-9. Available from: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2019/0101/p7.html?cmpid=b099f192-4ec0-4cde-ab60-3a87fbfa34da&utm_campaign=afp&utm_div=pub&utm_mission=ce&utm_prod=afpj&fbclid=IwAR00OIE7QC_VKvtUAEzvatavCi5eUSMTL1P9P4m9iA0I3CLSmmWFH4uoIjc.
[9] Scott Endsley. Deprescribing Unnecessary Medications: A Four Part Process. Fam Pract Manag. 2018 May-Jun [Cited 17 February 17, 2020]; 25 (3): 28-32. Available from: https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2018/0500/p28.html.
[10] Ranit Mishori. What Needs to Change to Make Deprescribing Doable. Fam Pract Manag. 2018 May-Jun; 25 (3): 5-6. Available From: https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2018/0500/p5.html.
[11] Naik M, Nerurkar R, Phatak A, Panchal S, Paunikar A. A questionnaire-based study to assess rational prescribing practice among interns. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol 2015; 5: 323-327. Available from: https://www.njppp.com/fulltext/28-1430893143.pdf?1581923394.
[12] Krishnaiah V, Ramaiah V, Ramakrishna R. Comparison of rational pharmacotherapy approach by medical students with and without Guide to Good prescribing guidelines. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol 2013; 3: 53-56. Available from: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/.
[13] Simon Maxwell. Good Prescribing: better systems and prescribers needed. CMAJ 2010 Apr 6; 182 (6): 540–541. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845677/.
Author Information
  • Department of Surgery, Bahrain Defense Force Hospital, Riffa, Bahrain

  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland- Medical University of Bahrain, Muharraq, Bahrain

  • Department of Surgery, Bahrain Defense Force Hospital, Riffa, Bahrain; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland- Medical University of Bahrain, Muharraq, Bahrain

  • Department of Surgery, Bahrain Defense Force Hospital, Riffa, Bahrain; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland- Medical University of Bahrain, Muharraq, Bahrain

  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland- Medical University of Bahrain, Muharraq, Bahrain

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Latifa Al-Buainain, Suha Malek, Hamad Ammar, Sawsan Abdulla Hasan, Asma Abu Baker Hasan. (2020). The Evaluation of Physician Counseling when Prescribing New Medications: An Observational, Survey Study. American Journal of Internal Medicine, 8(2), 57-61. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12

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    ACS Style

    Latifa Al-Buainain; Suha Malek; Hamad Ammar; Sawsan Abdulla Hasan; Asma Abu Baker Hasan. The Evaluation of Physician Counseling when Prescribing New Medications: An Observational, Survey Study. Am. J. Intern. Med. 2020, 8(2), 57-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12

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    AMA Style

    Latifa Al-Buainain, Suha Malek, Hamad Ammar, Sawsan Abdulla Hasan, Asma Abu Baker Hasan. The Evaluation of Physician Counseling when Prescribing New Medications: An Observational, Survey Study. Am J Intern Med. 2020;8(2):57-61. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12,
      author = {Latifa Al-Buainain and Suha Malek and Hamad Ammar and Sawsan Abdulla Hasan and Asma Abu Baker Hasan},
      title = {The Evaluation of Physician Counseling when Prescribing New Medications: An Observational, Survey Study},
      journal = {American Journal of Internal Medicine},
      volume = {8},
      number = {2},
      pages = {57-61},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajim.20200802.12},
      abstract = {Patient education about medications being used highly improves the quality of proper use and compliance, to which the WHO has created guidelines of good prescribing. The main objective of this observational study is to assess the effectiveness of physician counseling and their compliance to the WHO guidelines to good prescribing when given the chance to prescribing new medications to patients coming for a follow up in various clinics in the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital in the form of a survey over a period of two weeks. 401 patient interviews were randomly chosen and included in the data analysis. 33 physicians were assigned in the survey, from which there were 7 cardiologists, 5 general practitioners, 3 diabetologists, 3 dermatologists, 2 endocrinologists, 5 pediatricians, 3 vascular surgeons, and 5 internists. The survey was developed based on the standards mentioned in the WHO guidelines. The main outcome was to observe and assess how efficient are physicians from various clinics in successfully prescribing new medications to patients through ten WHO standards. Data revealed that in general and for the most part the quality of instructions and information given to patients while prescribing new medications was relatively unsatisfactory in most clinics, although it was found that prescribing patterns differs from one physician to the other.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - The Evaluation of Physician Counseling when Prescribing New Medications: An Observational, Survey Study
    AU  - Latifa Al-Buainain
    AU  - Suha Malek
    AU  - Hamad Ammar
    AU  - Sawsan Abdulla Hasan
    AU  - Asma Abu Baker Hasan
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12
    T2  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    JF  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    JO  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
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    EP  - 61
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-4324
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.20200802.12
    AB  - Patient education about medications being used highly improves the quality of proper use and compliance, to which the WHO has created guidelines of good prescribing. The main objective of this observational study is to assess the effectiveness of physician counseling and their compliance to the WHO guidelines to good prescribing when given the chance to prescribing new medications to patients coming for a follow up in various clinics in the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital in the form of a survey over a period of two weeks. 401 patient interviews were randomly chosen and included in the data analysis. 33 physicians were assigned in the survey, from which there were 7 cardiologists, 5 general practitioners, 3 diabetologists, 3 dermatologists, 2 endocrinologists, 5 pediatricians, 3 vascular surgeons, and 5 internists. The survey was developed based on the standards mentioned in the WHO guidelines. The main outcome was to observe and assess how efficient are physicians from various clinics in successfully prescribing new medications to patients through ten WHO standards. Data revealed that in general and for the most part the quality of instructions and information given to patients while prescribing new medications was relatively unsatisfactory in most clinics, although it was found that prescribing patterns differs from one physician to the other.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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