Analysis of the tendencies and dynamics of electronic receipt prescribing for antibiotics and their electronic dispensing in Ukraine and Lviv region

Abstract

Uncontrolled use of antibiotics (antibacterial, antimicrobial agents) leads to the growth of antibiotic resistance, which has become a global health problem. E-prescribing should increase the population's access to medical and pharmaceutical care.
 The purpose of the study: to establish the general trends of electronic prescribing of antibacterial drugs in Ukraine since its introduction in August 2022 and the impact of receipt e-prescribing on the controllability of antibiotic use, as well as to analyze the dynamics of the number of prescribed and dispensed electronic prescriptions for antibacterial drugs.
 We used the following research methods: informative, comparative and retrospective analysis of the dynamics of e-prescriptions for antibiotics. For this purpose, we used the e-data dashboards of the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) and the data of the ENT KP «Pharmacy No.1» in Lviv for the period 08. 2022–05. 2023.
 In general, Lviv region is consistently in the top three, five or ten regions according to certain indicators. It was established that Lviv region is on the third place in Ukraine in terms of the number of issued e-prescriptions for antibiotics, on the first place in terms of the number of dispensed specified prescriptions, but in terms of the ratio of the number of issued e-prescriptions to those issued, Lviv region is in tenth place. The e-data of the National Health Service of Ukraine shows the nomenclature and number of electronic prescriptions of antibacterial drugs, the number of e-prescriptions that have been released, which are registered in the e-healthcare system. However, during the period of martial law, data on antibacterial drugs dispensed according to paper prescriptions or information certificates, equivalent to them, are not recorded. Thus, the e-data reflect the actual consumption of only those antibiotics that are recorded through the redemption of e-prescriptions, i.e. cover only one prescription segment.
 It is shown that although e-prescribing increases the control over the prescription of antibiotics, however, in force majeure circumstances of wartime, e-dispensing does not reflect the real picture of antibiotic consumption in general, but only one segment that is recorded in the e-system of health care. However, it is impractical to introduce an exclusively electronic prescription for antibiotics under martial law, as this carries the risk of limiting access to medical care. The use of the e-system allows to establish control over the quantitative indicators and assortment composition of antibiotics prescribed by doctors, which is definitely a necessary stage for improving the rational use of antibacterial drugs and combating antibiotic resistance.