Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8455

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

Curtiss FR.
Pharmacy management strategies for responding to hospital reimbursement changes
American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 1983 Sep; 40:1489-1492

Abstract:

Pharmacy management strategies for responding to hospital reimbursement changes are described. On the assumption that the Medicare prospective payment system and other fixed rate reimbursement systems will force hospital pharmacists to reduce their operating expenses, several methods of reducing drug use and drug costs, rather than payroll costs, are described. These methods include: (1) reduced price per unit purchased, (2) increased use of bid prices, (3) decrease in the size and dollar value of drug inventory, (4) drug formulary restrictions, (5) prescribing sanctions, (6) physician education on the relative costs of alternate therapies, (7) drug use review, (8) use review applied to drug serum assays, (9) controlled access of drug industry representatives to hospital physicians, and (10) dispensing and drug distribution efficiencies. It is suggested that physicians resistance to pharmacist intervention in drug prescribing and drug use review should be anticipated; however, pharmacists should expect the support of hospital administrators in efforts to control drug use.