부산대학교 도서관

As the number of drugs prescribed for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities increases, the risk of leftover medicines increases accordingly. We conducted a survey of pharmacists at pharmacies. We surveyed the actual conditions of use of the prescriber’s checkbox for leftover medication, the information that pharmacists should provide to physicians when managing leftover medication, and the actual conditions of leftover medication management at pharmacies. We also discussed the issues involved in managing leftover medication. Many pharmacists checked for leftover medication regardless of whether or not the checkbox was marked. When managing the leftover medicine, many pharmacists wanted to provide not only information on the number of leftover medicines and the medication status but also suggestions for prescriptions based on the patient’s medication status. It was also found that a certain percentage of pharmacists were unaware of the existence of the checkbox. The survey revealed that for pharmacists to proactively manage leftover medications, it is necessary to promote the use of the checkbox, simplify the process of contacting physicians and providing information, and secure the manpower and time necessary to do so.