The Economics of Medication Safety: A Cost-Benefits Analysis Framework for Evaluating an Electronic Medication System

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Pediatric Pharmacology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Medication prescribing in pediatrics is complex, with age and weight-related dosing requirements contributing to persistent errors.
• Electronic medication systems (EMS) offer potential solutions through features like dosing calculators and computerized decision support.
• Limited evidence exists on the cost-benefit analysis of EMS implementation, especially in pediatric settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis (CBA) framework for evaluating EMS implementation in a pediatric tertiary hospital.
• To incorporate both health system impacts and patient/family network effects for a net social benefit assessment.
• To measure the impact of non-clinical out-of-pocket costs and quantify patient/community valuation of medication safety.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel CBA framework tailored for EMS in pediatric care.
• Inclusion of a societal perspective, encompassing health system, patient, and family network impacts.
• Utilization of discrete choice experiments to assess medication-related harm and the perceived importance of medication safety.

Main Results:

• The study outlines a framework for assessing the multifaceted impacts of EMS implementation.
• It highlights the importance of considering non-clinical costs and patient-reported outcomes.
• The framework allows for a holistic evaluation beyond direct healthcare costs.

Conclusions:

• A robust CBA framework is essential for understanding the true value of EMS in pediatric hospitals.
• Incorporating patient and family perspectives provides a more complete social benefit assessment.
• This approach can guide decision-making regarding technology adoption to improve pediatric medication safety.