Cross-sectional study: returned medication in Outpatient Pharmacy of Hospital Sultanah Bahiyyah, Alor Setar

This study was conducted in analysing medications that have been returned according to their pharmacological groups and estimated cost as well as evaluating the relationship between patient characteristic with factor that contribute to returned medications. This study was being carried out at Outpatient Pharmacy of Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah by using related statistic from hospital database and data collection form that were distributed to patient who came to the Outpatient Pharmacy Department of Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah to return their unused or expired medication from January 2016 to June 2016. A total of 301 filled medication returned form and 470 type of medication which being returned were then analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 23.0 software. Current study is in agreement with previous study from Oman which stated that cardiovascular drugs is the most common pharmacological group of drug that frequently being returned by patient (36.64%) with the total cost involved estimated as RM 32, 323.07. Besides, the three most factors that contribute to returned medication were because of change in medication, extra medication and patient non-compliance. However, there is no significant different in the number of medication returned according to gender. Therefore, our study could be useful for the improvement of patient care as well as a reference for policy makers to review back the two month supply prescribing policy. Thus, the government might be able to reduce financial loss.