Title: “Snap-Lock” Polyethylene Mini Bags for Dispensing Drugs in Sri Lanka
Author Name: LalithSenarathna
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Presenter Name: LalithSenarathna
Authors: Senarathna L, Samaranayake A, Kumarage S, Senevirathna A, Kappagoda S.
Institution: Ox-Col Collaboration, Department of Medicine, Colombo; government hospitals in Matale, Gampola, Medawachchiya, and Kandy, Sri Lanka
Problem Statement: Outpatient drugs are dispensed free of charge in government hospitals in Sri Lanka, usually as loose capsules or tablets wrapped in paper. Storage is often inappropriate, risking reduced drug potency due to humidity and sunlight and mixing up of tablets with similar appearance. A ‘snap lock’ polyethylene bag (cost, USD 0.02) containing a drug information card was recently introduced for each drug.
Objectives: To determine acceptability of and patient attitude toward payment for snap-lock bags.
Design: Observational study comparing two hospitals.
Setting and Study Population: Two government hospitals in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, one that charged money for the bags and one that did not. We traced pharmacy records and interviewed patients and pharmacists. Two hundred outpatients using bags were randomly selected (100 from each hospital). Pharmacists from clinics answered a questionnaire
Outcome Measures: Use of bags initially and after 10 months; percentage of patients coming with the bag to subsequent clinics initially and after 10 months; patient attitude toward payment for bags; acceptability of bag to patients and pharmacists.
Results: Payment for bags initially reduced their uptake (73% with payment; 100% without); uptake of bags in paying hospitals increased to 95% after 10 months. Patient acceptance was high - 82% of patients brought the bag to the next clinic; after 10 months, this increased to 91%. There was no difference between hospitals. Opening the bag caused difficulties during the first month in both hospitals; 35% of patients cut or tore the bag to open it. Education by pharmacists reduced this to 5%. An average of 65% of patients (60% in nonpaying hospital, 70% in paying hospital) agreed to pay money and thought an acceptable payment would motivate them to bring the bag back. In both hospitals, 95% of patients liked the bag, particularly since it prevented tablet mix-ups. Fourteen pharmacists in both hospitals agreed that the bags enhanced the quality of their dispensing.
Conclusions: Acceptance of the newly introduced bags was good in both hospitals; acceptance was slower but still substantial where patients were charged for the bag. Pharmacist workload increased when the bags were first issued due to patient unfamiliarity and the time spent enclosing the drug information card, but workload subsequently decreased below previous levels with reuse of bag and card. Both patients and pharmacists thought that the bags were an improvement. Our experience suggests that polyethylene bags may be useful to prevent mixing of tablets/capsules; to improve home storage of drugs; and, with the card, to provide appropriate drug information. Proper use of the bags also suggests patients’ willingness to contribute appropriately to their health care.
Study Funding: Ox-Col Collaboration