PRESCRIPTION PRACTICE AND PHARMACY DISPENSING OF ANTIBIOTICS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL UNDER WARTIME CONDITIONS

Abstract

The rational use of antibacterial drugs (ABD) is one of the key conditions for ensuring effective and safe pharmacotherapy and curbing the spread of antibiotic resistance. The introduction of electronic prescriptions for ABDs in Ukraine was an important step towards strengthening control over their prescription and dispensing, reducing cases of self-medication, and increasing the responsibility of all participants in the pharmacotherapeutic process. At the same time, the practical implementation of this system requires evaluation from the perspective of doctors and pharmacists who work directly with electronic prescriptions. The aim of the study was to examine the peculiarities of prescribing and dispensing ABDs at the regional Level under wartime conditions, to evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction of electronic prescriptions, and to identify difficulties in the work of doctors and pharmacists. The study used domestic regulatory and legal acts and scientific sources on the prescription dispensing of ABDs. The empirical basis was the results of a survey of general practitioners – family medicine (GPM) and pharmacy workers on the practice of prescribing and dispensing ABDs. A systematic-logical approach and questionnaire survey methods were used to analyze the data. It was found that most doctors (72–80%) write electronic prescriptions for ABDs daily, most often from the group of beta-lactam antibiotics, penicillins. 58% of doctors do not experience difficulties when issuing e-prescriptions, while 42% reported technical and organizational problems related to unstable internet, temporary disruptions in the medical information system (MIS), and incorrect dosage indications. Pharmacists confirmed these trends: 80% work with e-prescriptions daily, 20% reported difficulties, and 50% noted that patients request ABDs without a prescription, which partially coincides with doctors’ assessments of self-medication (60%). A comparison of the responses of doctors and pharmacists indicates a general adaptation to electronic dispensing, while emphasizing the need to improve MIS, technical support, and public information. A comprehensive assessment of prescription practice and the dispensing of antibiotics under martial law at the regional level, taking into account the simultaneous survey of doctors and pharmacists, allowed us to assess their professional approaches and determine the convenience and discrepancy in the practice of using electronic prescriptions. The practical significance of the article is completed by confirming and specifying modern trends in prescription practice, taking into account regional characteristics, as well as eliminating the critical current of the functioning of electronic systems, which can be used for its further improvement.