A new analysis of insurance claims suggests that in many cases, overstressed doctors are phoning in antibiotic prescriptions for patients in situations where they perhaps should have seen them instead. The study, by healthcare information firm Thomson Medstat, reviewed 1.5 million claims for antibiotic prescriptions made in 2004 for children and adults under 65. When they analyzed the data, researchers found that 40 percent of patients refilling an antibiotic prescription hadn't seen a doctor in at least a month. In some cases, such behavior might be appropriate, such as in cases of already-diagnosed conjunctivitis or strep throat, or repeat urinary tract infections. However, under other circumstances, the patient could very well have a viral infection which will never respond to antibiotics. Such prescribing behavior is a factor in the growth of antibiotic-resistant infections, the researchers note.
Ultimately, Thomson researchers say, the antibiotics problem points to a larger issue. With care patterns shifting--and clinicians increasingly relying on Internet and phone-based communication--they suggest that medical societies should establish new standards for this type of care.
Get more information on the antibiotic prescription issue:
- read this USA Today piece
- review the Thomson Medstat research brief (.pdf)