A Review On Prescription Audit: Methods, Benefits And Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37022/jpmhs.v8i1.130Keywords:
Prescription Audit, Polypharmacy, ADR, Rational Drug UseAbstract
Prescription auditing is a methodical review and evaluation of prescriptions to ensure that they conform to clinical guidelines, legal requirements, and rational drug use principles. It is a vital element in improving healthcare quality, preventing medication errors, reducing the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and managing polypharmacy. Prescription audits not only enhance patient safety but also reduce healthcare costs by promoting the use of generics and eliminating irrational prescribing practices. Different types of audits, such as concurrent, retrospective, and prospective audits, can provide specific insights into prescribing behavior and facilitate corrective action. In India, challenges such as OTC drug availability, self-medication, and regulatory non-compliance make prescription auditing especially important. By identifying gaps, promoting adherence to standard
Downloads
References
Siyamala Devi T, Kumutha A, Renuka A, Ashraf Ali H. A cross-sectional study of prescription audit in outpatient departments of tertiary care hospital. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology [Internet]. 2024 Jan 2 [cited 2024 Jun 5];14(1):164–4.
Ahsan DrM, Shaifali DI, Khurram Mallick DA, Kumar Singh DHO, Verma DS, Shekhar DA. Prescription auditing based on World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicators in a teaching hospital in North India. International Journal of Medical Research and Review. 2016 Oct 31;4(10):1847–52.
Sharma M, Nikhil Payal, Devi LS, Gautam D, Manisha Khandait, Kapil Hazarika, et al. Study on Prescription Audit from a Rural Tertiary Care Hospital in North India. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology [Internet]. 2021 Oct 15 [cited 2025 Mar 25];15(4):1931–9.
Kandula PK, Rao SB, Sangeetha K, Reddy Y, Gudi SK. A study of prescription audit in outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in india: an observational study. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2017 May 15;7(3).
Janardhan Marupaka, Laxmipathi Kodam, Naveen Kumar Tamma, Srinivasu Karedla. Prescription audit of patients in a teritiary care hospital. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2020 Oct 16;9(11):1650–0.
Siyamala Devi T, Kumutha A, Renuka A, Ashraf Ali H. A cross-sectional study of prescription audit in outpatient departments of tertiary care hospital. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology [Internet]. 2024 Jan 2 [cited 2024 Jun 5];14(1):164–4.
Halder s, gangopadhyay t, mondal s, das ak. Prescription audit from the outpatient department of a rural hospital in west bengal, india: a cross-sectional study. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2022 Dec 7;126–9.
Ahsan DrM, Shaifali DI, Khurram Mallick DA, Kumar Singh DHO, Verma DS, Shekhar DA. Prescription auditing based on World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicators in a teaching hospital in North India. International Journal of Medical Research and Review. 2016 Oct 31;4(10):1847–52
Piyali Pal et al. Prescription Audit of a Teaching Hospital in Eastern India using a Step By-Step Methodology. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2024; 16(8); 1310-1316
Palanisamy PR. Stop antibiotic resistance – A roller coaster ride through “antibiotic stewardship,” “prescription auditing” and “AWaRe” assessment tool. Journal of family medicine and primary care. 2023 Sep 1;12(9):1796–801.
Sharma M, Nikhil Payal, Devi LS, Gautam D, Manisha Khandait, Kapil Hazarika, et al. Study on Prescription Audit from a Rural Tertiary Care Hospital in North India. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology [Internet]. 2021 Oct 15;15(4):1931–9.
Kandula PK, Rao SB, Sangeetha K, Reddy Y, Gudi SK. A study of prescription audit in outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in india: an observational study. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2017 May 15;7(3).
Siyamala Devi T, Kumutha A, Renuka A, Ashraf Ali H. A cross-sectional study of prescription audit in outpatient departments of tertiary care hospital. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology [Internet]. 2024 Jan 2 [cited 2024 Jun 5];14(1):164–4.
Halder s, gangopadhyay t, mondal s, das ak. Prescription audit from the outpatient department of a rural hospital in west bengal, india: a cross-sectional study. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research. 2022 Dec 7;126–9.
Oppenheimer M, Rezwan N. CQUIN audit for prescription of antibiotics for urinary tract infections in an acute medical assessment unit. BMJ Quality Improvement Reports. 2015;4(1):u208446.w3374.
Chung GW, Wu JE, Yeo CL, Chan D, Hsu LY. Antimicrobial stewardship. Virulence [Internet]. 2013 Feb 15 [cited 2019 Oct 25];4(2):151–7.
Gautam P, Chaudhary K, Chaudhary M, Mustafa M, Kumar Y. Prescription Audit of Cardiac Drugs in Cardiac Outpatient: A Prospective Study. 2020 Apr 22;5(4):304–18.
Patel P, Bhora M, Vishwe A, Nyati P, Tripathi S, Gupta K. Prescription audit to evaluate the pattern and errors in a tertiary care hospital. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2019 Nov 25;8(12):2650.
Numan Farooq Kawa, Rohul Jabeen Shah, Anjum Bashir Fazili, Hanna Zahoor Hamdani, Sheikh Mushtaq. Prescription Audit in Outpatient Department of a District Level Government Hospital in Northern Kashmir: An Observational Study. Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research. 2023;6(14).
Tuti T, Aluvaala J, Malla L, Irimu G, Mbevi G, Wainaina J, et al. Evaluation of an audit and feedback intervention to reduce gentamicin prescription errors in newborn treatment (ReGENT) in neonatal inpatient care in Kenya: a controlled interrupted time series study protocol. Implementation Science. 2022 May 16;17(1).
Selvaraj N, Meenakshi R, Anandabaskar N, Dhamodharan A, Badrinath A, Rajamohammad M. Prescription audit of a teaching hospital in South India using World Health Organization core prescribing indicators – A cross-sectional study. Perspectives in Clinical Research. 2021;0(0):0.
Saha A, Bhattacharjya H, Sengupta B, Debbarma R. Prescription audit in outpatient department of a teaching hospital of North East, India. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2018 Mar 28;6(4):1241.
Rai S, K B, C S, HV S, Yaseen M. Prescription audit at a tertiary care teaching hospital. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 Aug 7];8(9):1271.
Dhavalshankh AG, Rajadnya VA, Patil KL. Prescription auditing: an important tool for sensitization of resident doctors for rationale prescription and utilization of drug. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2019 Sep 25;8(10):2237.
Maaskant JM, Tio MA, van Hest RM, Vermeulen H, Geukers VGM. Medication audit and feedback by a clinical pharmacist decrease medication errors at the PICU: An interrupted time series analysis. Health Science Reports. 2018 Jan 19;1(3):e23.
Sharma M, Nikhil Payal, Devi LS, Gautam D, Manisha Khandait, Kapil Hazarika, et al. Study on Prescription Audit from a Rural Tertiary Care Hospital in North India. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology [Internet]. 2021 Oct 15 [cited 2025 Mar 25];15(4):1931–9.
Kumar DR. Prescription Audit In Outpatient Department Of A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital Of North India. African Journal OF Biomedical Research [Internet]. 2024 Sep 29 [cited 2025 Mar 26];1270–5.
Patel P, Bhora M, Vishwe A, Nyati P, Tripathi S, Gupta K. Prescription audit to evaluate the pattern and errors in a tertiary care hospital. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2019 Nov 25;8(12):2650.
N. N, Manchukonda R. Prescription audit for evaluation of present prescribing trends in a rural tertiary care hospital in South India: an observational study. International Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 2016;2094–7.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citations
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright © Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
.