Cost-effectiveness of clinical pharmaceutical services: a follow-up report

The cost-effectiveness of pharmacist-conducted training programs for patients self-administering at home antihemophilic factor, calcitonin, cytarabine, injectable analgesics and parenteral nutrients was studied. Records of 35 patients participating in the training programs from September 1976 through August 1978 were reviewed. The benefits of the patient training programs were measured by approximating the days of hospitalization or outpatient visits saved (and their related costs) per patient. For every dollar charged by the pharmacy service for the patient training programs, 1.25 days of hospitalization and $321.90 in hospital charges were saved. The cost-effectiveness ratios demonstrated the benefits of the patient training programs. Third-party reimbursement can be improved by designing comprehensive measures of cost-effectiveness.