Healthy Skepticism Library item: 9432

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

Perri M, Kotzan JA.
Application of a Medicaid database to assess pharmacy conflict of interest potential in long term care facilities
Journal of Geriatric Drug Therapy 1991; 5:(4):51-66

Abstract:

To investigate the potential for conflict of interest in the long term care setting, a 2 month study measuring the average prescription utilization rate and the total cost/patient in nursing homes in Georgia was conducted; in addition, demographic and descriptive information on each nursing home with Medicaid recipients was surveyed. A total of 312 nursing homes responded to the survey, a 93% response rate. During the study, 177,917 prescriptions (13.5% of the total prescription volume) were provided to Medicaid nursing homes. A written contract existed for a consultant pharmacist in 91.4% of the facilities. One-third of nursing home medical directors did not receive the consultant pharmacist’s monthly report. The only potential conflict of interest documented was a higher medication number and cost where a relationship existed between the consultant and provider pharmacist.