Current Issues in Pharmacoeconomics 2 ________________________________________________ __

Repeat prescribing - keeping it safe, effective and economical

A great deal of commitment and effort is needed to ensure that repeat prescribing is safe, effective and economical, says Dr Arnold Zermansky of Leeds, UK.

To avoid waste and therapeutic misadventure, the authorisation, issue and review of repeat prescriptions must be carefully managed, he says. Patients who receive repeat prescriptions should always be reviewed at pre-planned intervals, and the system for maintaining repeat prescribing should provide all the information necessary to identify problems with compliance, drug interactions and review dates.

Achieving these goals requires a combination of ongoing training for physicians and their receptionists, effective communication between patients and general practice staff, sophisticated information systems, precise planning and clinical competence.

According to Dr Zermansky, repeat prescriptions now comprise around 67% of all prescription items in England and about 80% of all prescription costs in general practice. Zennansky A. Long-tenn prescribing. Prescribers lourna138: 72-79, No. 2, 1998 Il006II'''.

PharmacoEconomics & Outr:omes News 18 Ju11998 No. 171 1173-550319810171-00021$01.00° Adlslnternatlonal Limited 1998. All rights reserved