Drug Prescribing in Rural Health Facilities in China: Implications for Service Quality and Cost

Abstract

This article reports the results of a survey of drug prescriptions by facilities in poor rural areas. They found excessive and inappropriate prescribing of drugs, which exposed patients to the risk if ineffective treatment and adverse side effects, and contributed to unnecessarily high medical costs. The authors argue that strategies for improving prescribing behaviour will have have to include changes in health workers' financial incentives, and regulation of the right to prescribe and sell certain types of drugs.