The Results of the Development of a System to Prevent Repeated Drug Allergies a Cross Hospitals by Using an Online Drug Allergy Data Linking Program for Use in Pattani Hospital

Abstract

Background: Drug allergies can range in severity from mild reactions to fatal outcomes. Medical personnel often lack access to a patient's drug allergy history, or patients may provide incomplete information. This leads to repeated drug allergy incidents, hindering appropriate treatment. Designing a drug allergy prevention system by linking cross-hospital online drug allergy data may help mitigate these issues.

Objective: To compare the number of patients with repeated drug allergies admitted to Pattani Hospital before and after the implementation of a cross-hospital drug allergy prevention system that links online drug allergy data.

Method: This study employed an interrupted time series design to assess the impact of the online drug allergy program at Pattani Hospital. Data were collected over two periods: five years prior to program implementation (October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2017) and five years post-implementation (October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2022). Data included repeated drug allergy patients admitted as both outpatients and inpatients. The mean difference in the number of repeated drug allergy cases per year was analyzed using linear regression statistics.

Results: The mean number of repeated drug allergy patients after implementing the program decreased by 1.85 cases per year (95% CI -3.55, -1.54), which was statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). Before the implementation, the mean number of cases was 5.60 per year (95% CI 4.56, 6.64); afterward, it dropped to 3.75 cases per year (95% CI 2.41, 5.10). For patients who received drugs from Pattani Hospital, the incidence of repeated drug allergies decreased by 2.08 cases per year (95% CI -4.05, -0.12), also with statistical significance (p-value < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference for patients receiving drugs from other hospitals.

Conclusion: The drug allergy program linking online systems has effectively reduced the number of repeated drug allergy patients receiving treatment in the hospital. For patients receiving drugs from other hospitals, it is essential to implement preventive measures based on pharmaceutical professional standards, including thorough drug allergy histories and checks against allergic drug lists before prescribing.