Prescription Habits: Study of 350 Medical Prescriptions in the Ophthalmology Department at The Teaching Hospital of Bouaké (Cote D’ivoire)

Introduction Medical prescription is a medico-legal act governed by well-defined rules. The aim of this study was to contribute to improving the quality of care through the analysis of medical prescriptions. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study analyzing 350 medical prescriptions from patients seen in consultation at the ophthalmology department at theTeaching Hospital of Bouake between June 1 and July 31, 2019. Data analysis was performed using Epi Info software version 7.0. Results The patient was identified by name in 99.71% of the cases. Gender was determined through the use of a title (e.g., Mr., Mrs.) in 99.14% of patients. Age and weight were not indicated on 99.43% and 99.14% of prescriptions, respectively. In 51.14% of cases, the physician's registration number with the Medical Council was missing from the stamp. The prescriber's phone number was included in 56.86% of cases. Prescriptions were signed by the prescribers in 99.43% of cases. Each prescription contained an average of 2.07 ± 1.03 lines of medication. Anti-infectives accounted for 30.39% of the drugs prescribed, followed by vitamin complexes in 15.88% of cases. The pharmaceutical form, dosage, route of administration, frequency, quantity of official packaging, and duration of treatment were specified on all prescriptions. Conclusion The quality of medical prescription writing contributes to improving the overall quality of healthcare by facilitating the proper execution of prescribed treatments.