Attitudes to and use of a modified prescription form by general practitioners and pharmacists

Objective: To evaluate the rate of use and acceptance of a new prescription form designed to provide more information to pharmacists and patients. Design: Prospective descriptive study. Setting: A semi-rural community outside Melbourne, Victoria, in November 1994. Participants: GPs and pharmacists working three or more sessions per week in the locality, and 21 consumers who formed two consumer focus groups. Intervention: An education session for GPs and pharmacists, followed by a one-month trial of new prescription forms which included notations to facilitate interprofessional communication. Main outcome measures: Rate of use and acceptability of the new prescription notations. Results: Eighteen GPs and 10 pharmacists participated; 3600 forms were issued and 2521 prescriptions, including 3464 prescription items, were analysed. GPs and pharmacists used at least one of the new prescription notations in 45% (1559) of prescription items; 35% of prescription items (1222) were notated with the general purpose of the medication. Qualitative findings suggested that GPs, pharmacists and consumers considered the new prescription form to be beneficial and useful. Conclusions: A modified prescription form to increase communication between GPs and pharmacists is acceptable in clinical practice.