[e-drug] Drugs for the doctor's bag

[e-drug@healthnet.org]

E-DRUG: Drugs for the doctor's bag
--------------------------------------------
[The issue of doctor dispensing is often raised.  In emergencies (after hours, far from available sevices) it could be rational for doctor's to have an appropriate range of medicines to dispense directly to patients.  In this article an appropriate range of medicines and the rationale for their inclusion is covered. We can't reproduce the table for e-drug but the full article including the table are accessible at 
http://www.australianprescriber.com/upload/pdf/articles/917.pdf.  
Where there is no scheme to cover the cost of the drugs, mechanisms will be needed to avoid the conflict of interest caused by patients needing to pay the doctor for the medicines. ... BS]

Drugs for the doctor's bag
http://www.australianprescriber.com/upload/pdf/articles/917.pdf

Andrew Baird, General Practitioner, Brighton, Victoria

Summary
The doctor's bag should contain drugs for medical emergencies that may occur in the community. Most of these drugs are provided under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and can be ordered free of charge through a pharmacist [in Australia] . General practice accreditation now requires that clinics have appropriate emergency drugs as well as oxygen and a bag-valve-mask system. Practices should also have an up-to-date logbook detailing the emergency drug stocks and a system for checking that the drugs have not expired.
Key words: medical emergencies, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
(Aust Prescr 2007;30:143?6)

Introduction
Traditionally the doctor's bag contains drugs and equipment for managing medical emergencies that present in the clinic or in the community. The frequency and type of emergencies that occur depend on the location and nature of the practice. With the increasing availability of skilled Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics as 'first responders', many general practitioners have become less involved in managing emergencies. However, in rural and remote areas the doctor will often be the 'first responder' and may be working with volunteer ambulance crews.