A strategy to reduce drug expenditures with a drug utilization review program

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Pharmaceutical Policy

Background:

• Rising healthcare expenditures are driven by factors including new drug technologies.
• Hospitals face increasing pressure to control drug spending.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program strategy for reducing hospital drug expenditures.
• To identify high-cost drugs with available lower-cost alternatives for review.

Main Methods:

• Conducting retrospective analysis of drug usage and costs to identify target drugs.
• Developing evidence-based drug usage criteria through literature review and expert consultation.
• Implementing a concurrent review process where pharmacists compare prescriptions against criteria and recommend cost-effective alternatives.

Main Results:

• The proposed DUR program involves daily pharmacist review of physician orders for selected high-cost drugs.
• Intervention includes contacting prescribers for questionable usage and recommending lower-cost therapies.
• Assessment of impact requires comparing costs of initial versus recommended therapies and monitoring overall drug expenditures.

Conclusions:

• A collaborative Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program can significantly impact hospital drug expenditures.
• Successful implementation relies on team approach, staff training, and clear criteria.
• This strategy offers a potential solution to manage rising drug costs in healthcare settings.