Total formulary review--the easy way

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy and Therapeutics
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Hospital pharmacies utilize formularies to control drug costs and manage inventory.
• The deletion of outdated or rarely used drugs from formularies is often neglected.
• Hamot Medical Center (HMC) initiated a comprehensive formulary review to address this issue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a systematic process for reviewing and updating hospital drug formularies.
• To ensure formularies contain only necessary, cost-effective, and relevant medications.
• To create a formulary optimized for institutional needs.

Main Methods:

• Drugs were categorized using the American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) classification.
• The Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee evaluated approximately three drug classes monthly.
• Evaluation criteria included formulary status, usage, literature reviews, acquisition cost, and prevalence in other formularies.

Main Results:

• A structured review process was established for formulary revision.
• Deletions and additions were compiled and distributed for medical staff feedback.
• A final, revised formulary was prepared for publication.

Conclusions:

• The implemented system provides a straightforward method for creating or revising hospital formularies.
• The evaluation process considers drug efficacy, hospital-specific usage, cost, and medical staff input.
• The outcome is a tailored formulary that best serves the institution's requirements.