Shifts in drugs use after the COVID-19 pandemic based on the analysis of ABC, VEN and ABC-VEN matrix

Background : The existence of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in medicine use in patients. Objective : This study aims to determine patterns and differences in medicine use at Airlangga University Hospital before (2018 and 2019) and after (2020–2022) the COVID-19 pandemic based on ABC, VEN and ABC-VEN matrix analysis. Methods : This study is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data on all patients’ medicine use items between January 1 st , 2018 – December 31 st , 2022 which obtained from the hospital information system will be analyzed according to category based on the principles of ABC analysis, VEN, and the ABC-VEN combination and a statistical t-test analysis in SPSS to find out differences in medicine use at the Universitas Airlangga Hospital in the pre-pandemic era of COVID-19 versus the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results : Based on the results of the study, a total of 6893 drug items were obtained. There was a significant shift in the pattern of non-essential medicines use prescribed to patients after the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0,05). Conclusion : There was a shift in the pattern of use of prescribed non-essential medicines after the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic occurred.