Drug cost savings resulting from the outpatient pharmacy services collaborating with oncologists at outpatient clinics

Abstract

Objectives: Impact of outpatient collaborative pharmacy services performed by pharmacists on drug costs has not yet been reported. Therefore, this study evaluated direct interventions made by pharmacists in the form of prescription proposals that resulted in drug cost savings from outpatient collaborative pharmacy services performed by pharmacists to support outpatient cancer chemotherapy. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study wherein the drug cost savings resulting from the outpatient collaborative pharmacy services performed by 6 pharmacists and physicians from 6 medical departments were calculated and investigated from June 2016 to November 2016. Drug costs as of August 31, 2016 were used to calculate the drug cost savings. Results: During the 6-month study period, 6 pharmacists performed outpatient collaborative pharmacy services on weekdays within a span of 120 days for a total of 2177 hours each. The total drug cost savings were <6984,637, including <5842,061 for anticancer drugs, <1086,484 for oral drugs other than anticancer, <39,388 for premedications, and <16,704 for drugs for abuse. The total cost of the added drugs was <3224,227, allocated as follows: nonanticancer medicines, <1441,317; supportive medicines for adverse drug reactions in chemotherapy, <359,127; premedications for chemotherapy, <307,961; and anticancer medicines, <1115,822. Conclusion: The results of the present study are limited to “pharmacists assisting in reducing drugs by adjusting expensive anticancer drugs through a collaborative effort with physicians via outpatient consultations”; however, it indicated a significant overall health economic effect.