XN000022-1991-07-06 — Page 7

SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1991

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IMPORTANCE OF GOOD PRESCRIPTION PRACTICE

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, IN IMPROVING ITS GENERAL OUT-PATIENT CLINICS, HAS GIVEN DUE RECOGNITION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PATIENT AND PROFESSION EDUCATION IN ITS OVERALL ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, DR S.H. LEE, TODAY (SATURDAY) WHEN HE OPENED THE SYMPOSIUM ON DRUG USE AND ABUSE IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN AND WESTERN PACIFIC REGION, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG AND THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF HONG KONG.

DR LEE SAID: "AS A RESULT OF CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION AND DISEASE PATTERN, THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE POPULATION MEDICAL CARE HAVE ALSO CHANGED.

ON

"THE DEPARTMENT HAS, ACCORDINGLY, TAKEN STEPS то RE-ORIENTATE

ITS SERVICES TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS.

"

DR LEE POINTED OUT THAT THESE COULD BE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S GENERAL OUT-PATIENT (GOPD).

IN THE CLINICS

AMONG THEM IS A STRUCTURED AND COMPREHENSIVE INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL RECORD SYSTEM, WHICH WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN FOUR GORDS IN

1989, AND HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED TO 10 MORE CLINICS.

+

"THERE ARE PLANS TO FURTHER EXTEND THE SYSTEM TO ALL PHASES, DR LEE SAID.

GOPDS IN

"IN ADDITION, A PILOT SCHEME OF MANUAL DRUG LABELLING WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.'

TURNING TO DRUG PRESCRIPTION, DR LEE SALD A PILOT SCHEME ON MANUAL DRUG LABELLING WOULD BE INTRODUCED LATER THIS YEAR IN CLINICS IN THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT INITIALLY AND WOULD BE EXPANDED TO ALL OTHER CLINICS LATER.

THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF COMPUTERISED MEDICAL RECORDS AND DRUG LABELLING SYSTEM.

"GREAT EMPHASIS HAS ALSO BEEN ATTACHED то THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF DOCTORS IN THE FORM OF REFRESHER LECTURES, WORKSHOPS," DR LEE SAID.

SEMINARS AND

"THE DEPARTMENT IS PROCEEDING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE PRACTICE IN THE GOPDS AND FORMAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES."

ALL THESE AND OTHER MEASURES SUCH AS INCREASE IN CONSULTATION TIME, PROVISION OF TREATMENT GUIDELINES AND ENHANCEMENT OF GOPD DRUG FORMULARY PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ENSURING A HIGH QUALITY MEDICAL CARE WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SOUND PRESCRIBING HABITS AS AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT.

/DR LEE