Rolandas Zablockis, Edvardas Danila
Abstract
Background. Treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with reimbursable medicine in outpatient setting in Lithuania is regulated by the Lithuanian Minister of Health approved Procedure. The aim of study is to evaluate the compliance with this procedure. The number of patients treated with reimbursable medicine in outpatient treatment per year; which part of these patients were treated for the first time; the proportion of subjects with medication prescribed in hospital are assessed. The percentage of pulmonologist consultations of all individuals treated with reimbursable medicine for outpatient treatment and patients treated for the first time are described also. The data were collected from the health insurance system “Sveidra”. Results. 34972 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were prescribed reimbursable medicine for outpatient treatment in 2014, 25.4% of them were treated for the first time. 45.2% of patient reimbursable medicine was prescribed in hospital. The pulmonologist consultated 47.3% of all individuals treated with reimbursable medicine for outpatient treatment and 55.3% of patients treated for the first time in 2014. Conclusion. The compliance of treatment with reimbursable medicine in outpatient setting of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is insufficient in Lithuania. Patients are rarely consulted by the pulmonologist, even if reimbursable medicine is prescribed for the first time. Large proportion of medication is prescribed in hospital. This is an indirect sign that diagnostics and control of the disease is not well enough in most cases.
Keyword(s): chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; pulmonologist; exacerbation.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2015.100
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