Table 2.
Prescription rates (95% CIs) of prescribing quality indicators applied to Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) prescription database
| Prescribing quality indicator | Prescribing rate in database (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| A high ratio of prescribing of inhaled corticosteroid to inhaled bronchodilators in patients with moderate to severe asthma | 1.57 : 1 |
| A rate of prescribing statins and aspirin in patients with NIDDM (n = 8093) | |
| Aspirin | 64.70% (63.66, 65.74) |
| Statins | 59. 14% (58.07, 60.21) |
| Aspirin + statins | 44.23% (43.15, 45.31) |
| A low rate of benzodiazepine prescribing for prolonged periods (>4 weeks) (n = 18 171) | 52.48% (51.95, 53.01) |
| A high rate of generic prescribing (n = 158 128) | 17.78% (17.70, 17.90) |
| A high rate of prescribing of paracetamol compared with NSAIDs in patients with concomitant heart failure (n = 1396). | 1 : 1.49 |
| Paracetamol | 8.24% (6.80, 9.68) |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 12.25% (10.53, 13.97) |
| A low rate of coprescription of potassium supplements or potassium sparing diuretics for patients receiving ACE inhibitors or angiotensin antagonists (n = 37 074) | 2.32% (2.17, 2.47) |
| Potassium supplements (n = 196) | 0.53% (0.46, 0.60) |
| Potassium sparing diuretics (n = 679) | 1.83% (1.69, 1.97) |
| A high rate of prescribing thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients over 75 years on digoxin (n = 4380) | 75.78% (74.51, 77.05) |
| A low rate of prescribing broad spectrum antibiotics such as coamoxyclav items as percentage of total antibiotics (n = 16 742). | 38.73% (38.27, 39.19) |
| Quinolone items | 5.84% (5.62, 6.06) |
| Co-amoxyclav items | 32.89% (32.45, 33.33) |
| A low rate of prescribing proton pump inhibitors at full curative dose for > 4 weeks rather than a maintenance dose (n = 21 935) | 52.92% (52.44, 53.40) |
| A low rate of prescribing of oral nutritional supplements | |
| All ages (n = 182 175) | 3.39% (3.31, 3.47) |
| Over 65s (n = 90 869) | 6.76% (6.60, 6.92) |
| A low rate of prescribing compound analgesics relative to paracetamol | 1.56 : 1 |
NIDDM, Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.