Practice Patterns for Oral Chemotherapy at Different Cancer Centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Multicenter Observational Study

The present study was aimed to explore the current practices related to oral chemotherapy prescription, dispensing, monitoring and patient education. The novelty of this study was based in utilizing most recent data for retrieving relevant outcomes. A cross-sectional design was employed to recruit 161 pharmacists, physicians, and nurses. A survey questionnaire was implemented to examine prescribing practices, coordinating and monitoring adherence, safety monitoring, and education of patients regarding oral chemotherapy. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were used to present data through Statistical Package of Social Sciences software. A majority of the healthcare providers (79 %) received training on the safe handling of oral chemotherapy, while 74 % were trained by their organization regarding patient education. While 68 % of hospitals used self-designed papers as resources to guide patient education, 51 % used drug pamphlets and 16 % used personalized treatment calendars. Almost 94 % of hospitals applied double checks for calculated doses as additional safety technique; while, other hospitals (34 %) used barcode scanning. The future planning and implementation of oral chemotherapy needs proper educational and training for the healthcare workers. In addition, health care workers should follow guidelines for quality assurance of their prescriptions.