BMS

BMS stands for balance medication sheets. It is a letter issued by my hospital pharmacy department to remind patients to collect their balance medications at certain date...

In government hospitals or clinics, the doctors usually see patients with chronic diseases once in every 2 months or sometime up to 9 months. SO within the 1st and the next appointment, patient will usually continue on their medications and they have to collect their medications in the pharmacy department.

If they are in the private hospitals, usually they can collect all of their medications in one go. However, in the government setting, with the increasing number of patients and the limited budget to buy drugs, we always control our supply by issuing out a BMS to the patient to ask them to come back to collect the balance and at the same time check their compliance on those medications.

Towards the end of the year, we are issuing out a lot of BMS, to almost every patient and at a very near date... For example if the doctor prescribed 6 months medications, we can only supply 1-2 months supply, some even only 2 weeks supply. This means that we have to see the patient VERY VERY often to refill their prescriptions.

Refilling prescriptions at this speed----once every 2 weeks or once a month for a 6months prescriptions is tiring. It is very inefficient and lowering the compliance of patients on their medications. Although no actual statistic had been published on the percentage of patient coming back to collect their balance med, it will definitely not be 100%...

For patients who are not considerate, they will make a lot of noise and complaining that the government servants are not efficient and we are cold blood. I do not blame them. If I were the patient, I will also be very frustrated to come back and collect medications so often and each time when I come back, I have to purposely take leave, spend money on transport, waste time on waiting, sigh... such a miserable life.

However, I must say something on behalf of my department. We are also human and we feel sympathy on the patients who have to keep coming back for their medications, especially the elderly and those who stays very far from the hospital. Everyday we are trying very hard to ensure that the supply of the medications are sufficient. But with the increasing numbers of patients who transfer from private to government hospitals due to economic downturn and the H1N1 flu outbreak last 2 months and without extra money given to the pharmacy department, what can we do? We got no money to buy and can only borrow a small amount from other hospitals when the medication finish. I especially feel sad for my colleagues who work in the store who have to keep calling to beg for drugs from other hospital...

I strongly agree with a comment published in the STAR paper from an Ipoh pharmacist.

"I can confidently say that government pharmacy departments are at a breaking point whereby in many cases the money has already run out"

"Therefore I urge our Prime Minister and health minister to look into this urgent matter. Maybe instead of spending money to open 50 1Malaysia clinics, the allocation can be used to meet public demand for medications"

In my opinion, it is really time to consider to increase the payment to receive treatments in the government hospital and make sure that only those hardcore poor citizens enjoy free treatments. For those who are "not so poor" they can at least pay for their medications, at least 20% of medications they received. This can also make sure that wastage of medications lowered. When one have to fork out money to pay, they will then appreciate how much had the government done on providing the almost free healthcare treatment to the public. We are all tax payers. I do not wish the money which I contribute to the country continue to use to support some rich people.....