Cost containment through P & T committee drug utilization review

Provoked by changes that are occurring in health care, hospitals are currently formulating and implementing strategies to identify and control costs while maintaining the highest quality of care. Because drug costs account for a significant proportion of the hospital supply budget (5 to 10%), there is an increased need for the P & T Committee to become involved in the cost containment effort. This article will demonstrate how an existing program of drug utilization review (DUR) has reduced drug expenses without sacrificing the quality of care or imposing unnecessary restrictions on formulary items. Furthermore, implementation of the DUR program has not resulted in conflict between pharmacy, medical, nursing or administrative staffs within the institution.