The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM City’s District 5 has since May 2016 used software that enables department chiefs to approve antibiotics prescribed by its doctors in real time (Source: bvbnd.vn)
HCM City (VNA) - Many hospitals in HCM City use software tomonitor the prescription of antibiotics to ensure they are not abusedcausing bacteria to mutate to become antibiotic-resistant, a majorglobal health problem, including in Vietnam.
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in District 5, for instance, has since May2016 used a software to approve and dispense antibiotics prescribed by itsdoctors. All computers in the hospital are connected to the host system.
If the department chief disapproves the prescription, the clinic staff do notissue the antibiotics.
In the past doctors used to write their prescriptions on paper, and this wouldbe sent to department heads, the pharmacy, and its board of directors forapproval.
The hospital realised the system was too unwieldy and sometimes meant patientscould not be provided drugs in time.
It also caused difficulties in maintaining data, and the software has helpedresolve these problems, according to the hospital.
The Gia Dinh People’s Hospital in Binh Thanh district was also one of the firstin the city to use IT to manage the use of drugs, including antibiotics.
According to the hospital, antibiotic abuse has caused many bacteria to becomerapidly resistant to drugs, and without preventive methods patients’ healthwould have been severely affected.
It began to use IT to manage antibiotic use in 2015.
Following the introduction of the programme, the rate of compliance with theantibiotics use regime improved dramatically. For instance, at the neurologicalsurgery department it went up from 11 percent in 2015 to 65 percent in 2016.
The management board has to approve any prescription of antibiotics doctorsmake before they are dispensed.
The hospital has designated the antibiotics that can be used and the list is inits electronic system.
Its doctors have also evaluated antibiotic resistance and the results ofantibiotic use on patients and updated medical protocols.
They have reduced the course of antibiotic treatment from 11 days to eight now.
At Cho Ray Hospital, the use of an electronic surveillance system in 2014 hashelped significantly reduce the use of antibiotics.
In 2015 only 64 percent of the antibiotics used in 2014 was prescribed, and thecost of antibiotics for patients came down by 46 billion VND (2 million USD).
The city Department of Health encourages all hospitals to use IT to help theirdoctors use antibiotics properly and their chiefs monitor prescriptions.
Electronic surveillance could warn doctors prescribing multiple antibioticsthat they are not needed or could have side-effects if used together, it said.
Both doctors and patients should be educated in the proper use of antibioticsto avoid resistance, it said.
The city has more than 6,000 private medical stores, and this is a majorchallenge to health authorities since people have the habit of self-prescribingantibiotics when ill, it said.
The pharmacies would be instructed to use IT to generate data on antibiotics sothat it can monitor them, it said.
According to the World Health Organisation, antibiotic resistance canaffect people of any age.
It also occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals isaccelerating the process.
A growing number of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhoea,and salmonellosis – are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used totreat them have become less effective.-VNA
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in District 5, for instance, has since May2016 used a software to approve and dispense antibiotics prescribed by itsdoctors. All computers in the hospital are connected to the host system.
If the department chief disapproves the prescription, the clinic staff do notissue the antibiotics.
In the past doctors used to write their prescriptions on paper, and this wouldbe sent to department heads, the pharmacy, and its board of directors forapproval.
The hospital realised the system was too unwieldy and sometimes meant patientscould not be provided drugs in time.
It also caused difficulties in maintaining data, and the software has helpedresolve these problems, according to the hospital.
The Gia Dinh People’s Hospital in Binh Thanh district was also one of the firstin the city to use IT to manage the use of drugs, including antibiotics.
According to the hospital, antibiotic abuse has caused many bacteria to becomerapidly resistant to drugs, and without preventive methods patients’ healthwould have been severely affected.
It began to use IT to manage antibiotic use in 2015.
Following the introduction of the programme, the rate of compliance with theantibiotics use regime improved dramatically. For instance, at the neurologicalsurgery department it went up from 11 percent in 2015 to 65 percent in 2016.
The management board has to approve any prescription of antibiotics doctorsmake before they are dispensed.
The hospital has designated the antibiotics that can be used and the list is inits electronic system.
Its doctors have also evaluated antibiotic resistance and the results ofantibiotic use on patients and updated medical protocols.
They have reduced the course of antibiotic treatment from 11 days to eight now.
At Cho Ray Hospital, the use of an electronic surveillance system in 2014 hashelped significantly reduce the use of antibiotics.
In 2015 only 64 percent of the antibiotics used in 2014 was prescribed, and thecost of antibiotics for patients came down by 46 billion VND (2 million USD).
The city Department of Health encourages all hospitals to use IT to help theirdoctors use antibiotics properly and their chiefs monitor prescriptions.
Electronic surveillance could warn doctors prescribing multiple antibioticsthat they are not needed or could have side-effects if used together, it said.
Both doctors and patients should be educated in the proper use of antibioticsto avoid resistance, it said.
The city has more than 6,000 private medical stores, and this is a majorchallenge to health authorities since people have the habit of self-prescribingantibiotics when ill, it said.
The pharmacies would be instructed to use IT to generate data on antibiotics sothat it can monitor them, it said.
According to the World Health Organisation, antibiotic resistance canaffect people of any age.
It also occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals isaccelerating the process.
A growing number of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhoea,and salmonellosis – are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used totreat them have become less effective.-VNA
VNA
