antimicrobial action plans reduce drug spending
TRANSCRIPT
4 International Research and Op_i_n_i_o_n _
Antimicrobial action plans reducedrug spendingUpdate of the drug formulary and adoption of a
request procedure for prescribing antimicrobial agentswere just 2 of a number of initiatives that led to a6-7% reduction in the acquisition costs for these drugsat an Italian hospital.Other initiatives introduced at the hospital included:
periodical information from the microbiology serviceon the patternof microbial resistance in the hospital;the availability of infectious disease specialists forimportant therapeutic decisions; explanation andintroduction of strategies such as the increased use ofIV-to-oral antibacterial switching; reminders bypharmacy and administrative groups on the importanceof cost containment.
Cost saving of L1QO-I05 millionBefore these initiatives were implemented in January
1993, antimicrobial acquisition costs accounted for20.3% of total drug costs at the hospital and 1.5% ofthe entire hospital budget. However, introduction ofthe above initiatives decreased antimicrobial drugacquisition costs by Ll00-105 million in the first6 months of 1994, compared with the same period in1993.llris cost saving was mainly because of the decrease
in the use of irnipenem-cilastatin, teicoplanin, ceftzidimeand ureidopenicillins and an increase in the use offluoroquinolones, antifungals, vancomycin and firstand second-generation cephalosporins.de Lalla F. Antimicrobial agents ratiooale and monitoring in an Italian hospital.Journal ofCbemOlherapy 8: 342·350. Oct 1996 .....,...
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