Healthy Skepticism Library item: 9474

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Summers KH.
Managed health's impact on pharmacy practice
US-Pharmacist 1991 May; 16:H16, H22-H24, H36

Abstract:

A study, designed to assess the opinions of pharmaceutical executives and pharmacy educators in regard to the future impact of managed health care on pharmacy education and the research-intensive U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, was conducted; a questionnaire was sent to 30 pharmaceutical companies and 73 pharmacy schools in 1989. Usable responses were received from 15 of the 30 companies and 52 of the 72 pharmacy schools. The 5 and 10 yr estimates by all respondents of prescription drug coverage by managed health care were 45.2% and 68.3%, respectively. Respondents reported increasing health care costs, national health insurance and health coverage of the uninsured, a growing elderly population and a growth of computer technology allowing managed health care organizations to control costs more effectively, as events which will affect the development of managed health care. It was concluded that the growing role of the managed health care organization will lead to important changes in the way drug products are selected and the way pharmacists are educated.