Use of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Private Hospitals: 1. Associated Problems

This is the first of two articles based on a project aimed at resolving problems associated with the use of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in acute care private hospitals. The problems largely stem from a lack of integration between PBS prescribing requirements and hospital practice. The objective of the project was to develop a model in which PBS dispensing would be based on orders written on patients' drug therapy charts, eliminating the need for separate prescriptions. This article describes the problems and the second article describes the development and implementation of the model. (author abstract)