A study on drug return: comparing unit dose and unit of use of inpatient drug distribution system based on Paediatric Wards in Putrajaya Hospital

This study aims to compare and determine between two distribution system of unit dose (UD) and unit-of-use (UOU) in reducing more wastage based on returned medication of paediatric wards. Our study was conducted in the in-patient pharmacy department of Putrajaya Hospital. Our study subjects were the returned medication received by the in-patient pharmacy in two paediatric wards, 2C (UD) and NICU (UOU). The focus of this study was to identify the returned medication of both distribution system based on dosage forms, quantify them accordingly and to calculate the value of returned medications for both wards. From six months of observation, we gathered the medication return form from both wards, interpreted them and analysed them using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 to obtain results in table and graph form. From the results obtained, UD reduces more wastage than UOU distribution system. Thus, this study might be useful and helps the in-patient pharmacy department to further reduce the possible wastages that occur on a daily basis.