Using clinical interventions to cost-justify additional pharmacy staff

This paper reports on the use of clinical interventions in cost justifying an additional pharmacist in a 316 bed hospital. Data were collected during a 5 month period in 1986 related to clinical interventions by satellite pharmacists. To justify to the hospital administration the permanent hiring of an additional pharmacist, a 10% return on the hospital's investment in salary and fringe benefits was required. The effect of clinical interventions on the cost of drug use was viewed as the only way to demonstrate the administration's mandated return on investment. Actual drug cost savings were $30,657, which resulted in a total estimated annual savings of $73,572 or a 54% return on the hospital's investment in the salary of the additional full time equivalent pharmacist. The 855 interventions resulted in an average savings of $35.88 per intervention. The study successfully demonstrated the use of clinical interventions to cost-justify additional pharmacy staff.