Hi all,
I understand that there are some cases where the dosage form can be used interchangeably with the dosage unit, but this is not always reliable. For instance IMO, while Amoxicillin may be available in powder form, the prescribed dosage unit might be a capsule. Additionally, a dispensing unit could be considered a superset of the dosing unit; for example, it may refer to a box or package that contains multiple dosing units.
I’ve also lately observed in O3 that the preconfigured drug dosage form is set as the default for the dosing unit. IMO, for all drugs with preconfigured dosage forms, only those that are valid dosing units should be prefilled when placing an order on the drug order busket. This approach would help ensure that prescriptions remain valid and prevent any potential errors in dosing/dispensing.
Given this context, I would like to better understand the relationship between dosage forms, dosage and dispensing units to avoid any potential misuse of one for the other. This understanding is crucial to ensure accurate dosing and to maintain patient safety. This distinction also trickles down to pharmacy and billing applications, impacting how medications are managed, dispensed, and billed.
cc @mseaton, @akanter, @burke, @mksrom, @ibacher, @dkayiwa, @mksd, @grace