Biomaterial Database

Cost of providing pharmaceutical services to hospice patients. 1995

C L Haugtvedt, and L D MacKeigan, and S W Birdwell, and D L Bennett

Division of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Ohio State University (OSU), Columbus, USA.

The cost to a hospital pharmacy department of providing pharmaceutical services for a hospice program was studied. Drug acquisition costs were tabulated for all prescriptions dispensed to patients in the hospice program from April 1, 1992, to March 31, 1993. Direct time studies were conducted to determine the average personnel time involved in dispensing a prescription for a hospice patient. To determine the personnel time associated with auxiliary activities, self-reporting and work-sampling techniques were used. Indirect and delivery costs were also calculated. Relevant resource inputs were identified, measured, and valued by using both observation and pharmacy records. A total of 5640 hospice prescriptions were dispensed by the outpatient pharmacy; these represented 30% of all prescriptions dispensed. The average cost of dispensing a hospice prescription was $14.91 (total annual costs less drug acquisition costs). The total annual cost of providing pharmaceutical services to the hospice's patients was $196,607, and the total annual reimbursement received from the hospice program and self-paying patients was $155,623; therefore, costs exceeded revenues by $40,984. The cost to a pharmacy department of providing pharmaceutical services to patients in a hospice program substantially exceeded revenues. Greater efficiencies, a change in the pricing structure, or both may be necessary.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009820	Ohio	State bounded on the north by Michigan and Lake Erie, on the east by Ohio River and Pennsylvania, on the south by Ohio River, and on the west by Indiana.
D010607	Pharmacy Service, Hospital	Hospital department responsible for the receiving, storing, and distribution of pharmaceutical supplies.	Clinical Pharmacy Service,Hospital Pharmacy Service,Pharmacy Service, Clinical,Hospital Pharmaceutic Service,Hospital Pharmaceutical Service,Hospital Pharmacy Services,Pharmaceutic Service, Hospital,Pharmaceutical Service, Hospital,Service, Clinical Pharmacy,Service, Hospital Pharmaceutic,Service, Hospital Pharmaceutical,Service, Hospital Pharmacy,Clinical Pharmacy Services,Hospital Pharmaceutic Services,Hospital Pharmaceutical Services,Pharmaceutic Services, Hospital,Pharmaceutical Services, Hospital,Pharmacy Services, Clinical,Pharmacy Services, Hospital,Services, Clinical Pharmacy,Services, Hospital Pharmaceutic,Services, Hospital Pharmaceutical,Services, Hospital Pharmacy
D012051	Reimbursement Mechanisms	Processes or methods of reimbursement for services rendered or equipment.	Mechanism, Reimbursement,Mechanisms, Reimbursement,Reimbursement Mechanism
D003284	Contract Services	Outside services provided to an institution under a formal financial agreement.	Services, Contract,Contract Service,Service, Contract
D003365	Costs and Cost Analysis	Absolute, comparative, or differential costs pertaining to services, institutions, resources, etc., or the analysis and study of these costs.	Affordability,Analysis, Cost,Cost,Cost Analysis,Cost Comparison,Cost Measures,Cost-Minimization Analysis,Costs and Cost Analyses,Costs, Cost Analysis,Pricing,Affordabilities,Analyses, Cost,Analyses, Cost-Minimization,Analysis, Cost-Minimization,Comparison, Cost,Comparisons, Cost,Cost Analyses,Cost Comparisons,Cost Measure,Cost Minimization Analysis,Cost, Cost Analysis,Cost-Minimization Analyses,Costs,Measure, Cost,Measures, Cost
D006282	Health Personnel	Men and women working in the provision of health services, whether as individual practitioners or employees of health institutions and programs, whether or not professionally trained, and whether or not subject to public regulation. (From A Discursive Dictionary of Health Care, 1976)	Health Care Professionals,Health Care Providers,Healthcare Providers,Healthcare Workers,Health Care Professional,Health Care Provider,Healthcare Provider,Healthcare Worker,Personnel, Health,Professional, Health Care,Provider, Health Care,Provider, Healthcare
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D016527	Drug Costs	The amount that a health care institution or organization pays for its drugs. It is one component of the final price that is charged to the consumer (FEES, PHARMACEUTICAL or PRESCRIPTION FEES).	Cost, Drug,Costs, Drug,Drug Cost
D017051	Hospice Care	Specialized health care, supportive in nature, provided to a dying person. A holistic approach is often taken, providing patients and their families with legal, financial, emotional, or spiritual counseling in addition to meeting patients' immediate physical needs. Care may be provided in the home, in the hospital, in specialized facilities (HOSPICES), or in specially designated areas of long-term care facilities. The concept also includes bereavement care for the family. (From Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed)	Bereavement Care,Hospice Programs,Care, Bereavement,Care, Hospice,Hospice Program,Program, Hospice,Programs, Hospice
D017721	Hospital Costs	The expenses incurred by a hospital in providing care. The hospital costs attributed to a particular patient care episode include the direct costs plus an appropriate proportion of the overhead for administration, personnel, building maintenance, equipment, etc. Hospital costs are one of the factors which determine HOSPITAL CHARGES (the price the hospital sets for its services).	Cost, Hospital,Costs, Hospital,Hospital Cost