A 6-Year Review of the Electronic Drug Prescription System in the Republic of Türkiye

Abstract

Pharmacoepidemiological studies are important for the development of health systems. The aim of this study is to examine the seasonal and branch changes of prescriptions written in the light of national data. Drug and prescription information between 01.01.2016 and 31.12.2022 analyzed retrospectively from electronic data. In addition to gender and age distribution, the specialty and hospital level at which the prescription was written were examined in temporal terms. Prescribed drugs have been classified according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) codes previously created by the World Health Organization. It was determined that 1,452,128,177 prescriptions were written during the study period. These included a total of 4,602,556,489 drugs with the ATC code. The most written ATC code group was A (alimentary tract and metabolism), followed by M (musculo-skeletal system), and R (respiratory system) group drugs. In terms of specialization, the group that wrote the most prescriptions was family physicians, followed by emergency physicians, and internal medicine specialists. Examining prescription software trends is important when creating healthcare policies. Developing strategies to reduce prescription costs will contribute to the efficient use of resources and improving the quality and sustainability of health services delivery.