OBJECTIVES: Despite the fact that non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (Z-drugs) are beneficial for the short-term management of insomnia, it is inconclusive about the risk and benefit ratios of long-term use. The aim of this study was to examine the medication use patterns of Z-drugs and its prescribers in a 2000-bed medical center in Taiwan.  METHODS: We conducted the medication use evaluation study using China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) in-house databases. During the whole year of 2011, those CMUH outpatients ever prescribed with zolpidem and zopiclone were of interest. Their prescription prevalence rate of Z-drugs, its average number of defined daily dose (DDD), prescriber specialties and demographic characteristics were examined using descriptive analyses.  RESULTS: In 2011, 2,261 and 2,885 patients were ever prescribed with at least one prescription with zolpidem and zopiclone, respectively, in the outpatient units in CMUH. While more female were prescribed with Z-drugs, 40% of zolpidem users and 32% of zopiclone users were elderly. Within one year period, the average prescription number of zolpidem and zolpiclone were 5.47±4.78 and 4.3±4.38, respectively. While the average durations for each prescription were 25±7 days for zolpidem and 23±8 days for zolpiclone, respectively. 25% of zolpidem users and zolpiclone users were prescribed 9 to 43 times and 6 to 52 times, respectively. The top three prescribers were neurologist, cardiologist, and psychiatrist, which in total had accounted for 63.01% and 46.96% of zolpidem and zolpiclone prescriber specialties, respectively.  CONCLUSIONS: There is a tendency to have long-term use of zolpidem and zopiclone among CMUH outpatients. Those common prescribers of Z-drugs should be warranted for its consequences of long-term use, especially among the elderly.