Prescribing medicine from 30 days to 90 days is considered a remarkable improvement in medical examination and treatment.
According to Dr. CKI Pham Anh Tuan - Head of General Planning Department, Lech Binh Thang Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, when the prescription period is extended, it will help reduce the number of unnecessary re-examinations, thereby saving time and travel costs, especially for the elderly or those living away from medical facilities. At the same time, patients are also more proactive in the process of using drugs, reducing the risk of disease infection due to frequent trips to crowded places such as clinics.
However, Dr. Tuan emphasized that long-term prescriptions cannot be widely applied. "The decision on how many days to prescribe the drug depends on the professional assessment of the doctor. Only patients with stable conditions, good treatment compliance, and suitable home care conditions are eligible for a 90 day prescription, said Dr. Tuan.
Doctor Tuan also said that currently, Lanh Binh Thang Hospital receives from 1,800 to more than 2,000 visits per day. When implementing a reasonable long-term prescription, the hospital can reduce the pressure of outpatient examination, but the impact on operating costs is insignificant because most chronic patients are still being managed with a 2-4 week follow-up cycle. "Pregional monitoring still ensures peace of mind for both doctors and patients, especially when the diagram needs to be adjusted promptly," he added.
Sharing the same view, Dr. Tran Phu Manh Sieu - Director of Go Vap Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (old Go Vap District Hospital) - said that extending the time for re-examination, if flexibly applied to a group of patients with stable chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, will help reduce pressure on the health system and bring convenience to patients.
However, according to Dr. Sieu, caution is still needed for cases of adjusting doses, cardiovascular disease or early-stage diabetes. These patients need to be re-examined on time to conduct tests, assess treatment response and adjust medication when necessary.
Not everyone can postpone appointments or make long-term prescriptions. The patient must be carefully clinically assessed by the doctor, ensuring stability and no complications before being considered for application, affirmed Dr. Sieu.
The extension of the maximum prescription period of 90 days, applied to the right subjects, not only reduces the burden on patients but also helps medical facilities manage more effectively. At the same time, the evaluation role of the treating physician is still a key factor, ensuring safety, science and personalization in the care of chronic diseases.
