An educational approach to treat patients rationally in primary healthcare.

ABSTRACT

Primary healthcare is the first level of contact between the community and the national healthcare delivery system for treating the commonly occurring illnesses. Appropriate treatment and the provision of essential drugs are the two vital components of the primary healthcare concept. Graduate medical education in India is oriented towards training of medical students to undertake the responsibilities of a primary healthcare physician. Clinical training for medical students often focuses on diagnostic, rather than therapeutic skills. They are not often taught how to properly prescribe a drug for their patient's benefit. Bad prescribing habits lead to ineffective and unsafe treatment, exacerbation or prolongation of illness, distress and harm to the patient and higher costs. The requirements for rational use of drugs will be fulfilled if the process of prescribing is appropriately followed. Medical students and the practicing primary healthcare physicians need to be well trained in good prescribing practices. The objective of this article is to highlight the importance of the step by step “Guide to Good Prescribing” in helping the medical students to learn the art of treating patients rationally in primary health care settings.