Table 1
Baseline characteristics.
| Sex M/F: | M: 44% F: 56% |
| Age (mean/sd): | 36.8 ±7.5 |
| Educational degree | Diploma: None Bachelor: 98% Graduates of universities (2% of higher institute) Master: 48% PhD: None |
| Professional status | Public servant: 50 Under contract: None |
| Position | Health professionals (nurses): 84% Psychiatrists: 12% Neurologists: None Trainee psychiatrists: None Psychologists: 4% |
| Length of time in the workplace (mean/sd): | 10.9 ±8.6 |
Figure 1
Do shortages compromise the quality of patient care in your hospital?
Figure 2
What was the longest shortage duration you can recall?
Figure 3
Which type of drug is commonly in shortage?
Figure 4
How often do you provide therapeutic equivalent without disruption of treatment?
Figure 5
How much time do you dedicate on shortages per week?
Table 2
Questionnaire.
| 1. Do drug shortages compromise the quality of patient care in your hospital? |
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| 2. How often does your hospital experience drug shortages? |
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| 1. How long do drug shortages usually last in your hospital? |
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| 2. What was the longest drug shortage duration that you recall in your hospital? |
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| 3. What type of drugs is commonly in shortage? |
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| 4. In an average week in your hospital, how much time (staff working time) do you estimate Is dedicated to drug shortage problems? |
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| 5. How often do you provide a therapeutic equivalent or near equivalent medicine, without major disruption to patients’ treatment? |
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| 6. Which category of external supply does your hospital most frequently encounter problems with when sourcing specific required medicines? |
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| 7. Which are most the important ramifications of medicine shortages on patient care; |
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Table 3
Applied strategies to minimize impact of shortages.
| No | Yes | |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness regarding alternative treatment modalities | 26% | 74% |
| Creating awareness in patients of shortages | 28% | 72% |
| Informing and engaging management and personnel | 42% | 58% |
| Location and supply of the product from an alternative supply pathway (stockpiling) | 74% | 26% |
| Substitute | 80% | 20% |
| Budget re-adjustment | 88% | 12% |
| Allocation of additional personnel | 96% | 4% |
| No change | 100% | 0% |