Analysis of the Success and Efficiency of Using the Data Center System to Drug Safety Manage in Pang Mapha District Health Service Network in Mae Hong Son Province

Abstract

Background: Limitations of data management in public health service areas such as the northern region of Thailand, where there are problems in transferring data between service facilities, especially Pang Mapha District, where the terrain is mountainous and complex and transportation is difficult, making coordination of patient care difficult. Pangmapha Hospital has therefore used information and communication technology to help reduce limitations in drug management and patient care by developing a data collection system and connecting data via the Internet to a central data center system, called the Data Center system, since 2013. Therefore, researchers have further developed the control of medication errors, adverse drug events, prevention of drug allergies, and care for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension since 2020.

Objectives: To study the success, efficiency and evaluate the satisfaction of the staff towards using the Data Center system for drug safety management in the Pang Mapha District Health Service Network.

Methods: This is a research and development study in Pang Mapha Hospital and health service network, including Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital (Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital), Kud Samsib, Mae Lana, Tham Lod, Na Pu Pom, Nam Hu Pha Suea, Pang Mapha District, Mae Hong Son Province, between October 2024 and January 2025. By studying the retrospective data of the number of users and drug management data in the system from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2024, studying the results of the drug safety standard assessment during 2022–2024. Including a specific sample of 42 physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and staff to study satisfaction in November 2025.

Results: The study results of the number of usages in 2020-2024 in the health service network found that the data center system was accessed an average of 1,848 times per year. The system can report information on the amount of medicine used in each service center, with a list of medicines ranging from 345–358 and 106–147. The drug values ​​were 6,157,209–11,436,347 and 120,729–467,237 baht in Pangmapha Hospital and the health service network, respectively. The data on medical history, general physical examination results, diagnostic data, and laboratory test results can be displayed to assess patients before drug administration and were found to help control the incidence of administration errors. For example, the prescribing of metformin in patients at risk of kidney disease was 0.71, 0.59, 0.32, 0.26, and 0.47, respectively, which did not exceed the rate of 1:1,000 according to the specified criteria. As for the assessment score level of drug safety standards (2022-2024), it was found that the average score was 3.53, 4.27, and 3.87, respectively, out of a full score of 5, passing the Ministry of Public Health standards. When considering the efficiency of medication safety management, it was found that medication errors of prescribing error, transcribing error, pre-dispensing error, dispensing error, and administration error could be controlled between 0.70–1.56, 0.12–0.27, 0.22–0.49, 0.19–0.88, and 0.26–0.71 (not exceeding the rates of 5, 1, 5, 1, and 1:1,000), respectively. And for adverse drug events, it was found that the severity of levels A-D tended to decrease from 2022 at 3.58 to 2.11:1,000; no levels E-F and G-I were found, and the incidence of repeated drug allergy was equal to 0. In addition, the results of the study on the care outcomes of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension found a tendency for better control, with the group of diabetic patients who had good sugar control increasing from 27.50 percent to 47.09 percent. And there are hypertensive patients who have good blood pressure control, from 66.01 percent to 74.79 percent in 2020 and 2024. When considering the results of the study on satisfaction with the use of the sample group, it was found that the overall satisfaction was at a high level, with an average of 4.10, and satisfaction was at a high level in all topics. For the topics with the highest and lowest scores, they were "The information is useful and can be used effectively" and The data center access system is easy, convenient, and fast, with an average of 4.12 and 3.81, respectively.

Conclusions: The data center system helps manage drug safety in Pang Mapha Hospital and sub-district health promotion hospitals in terms of drug selection and procurement, drug ordering, drug dispensing, drug management, and drug usage monitoring. It has a standard level of drug safety that has passed the evaluation criteria of the Ministry of Public Health. It can control the rate of medication errors and adverse drug events according to the specified criteria. There is a tendency for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to have good control of their sugar levels and blood pressure.