Artikel
Health economic evaluation of multi-dose blistering in long-term care institutions
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Veröffentlicht: | 30. Oktober 2006 |
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Gliederung
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Context: Elderly people often face problems with adhering to complex multi-drug medication regimens. Thus, in Canada, Sweden and Denmark individualized multi-dose packaging has been established as a means to secure adherence and to reduce both cost of medication as well as cost that arises from in-hospital care if medication has not been taken properly (eg. [Ref. 1]).
Aim of the Study: The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether multi-dose packaging could save expenditure for medication and reduce levels of both in-hospital care and ambulatory care due to an improved adherence.
Material and Method: Around 300 elderly people (age 60 throughout 100) from four long-term care facilities in the Saar region were included into the trial. After either the inhabitants themselves or their guardians had given consent to be included into the trial the inhabitants of the long-term care facilities received multi-dose packaged medication. Periods before and after the switch to multi-dose packaging were compared with regard to expenses for oral medication (tablets, pills). Since data from the time before the switch to blister packaging were provided only by one statutory fund, solely about 160 patients could be included into the health economic evaluation.
Results: Preliminary results show that about 5.3% of expenses could be saved. 1.7% are caused by price differences, 3.6% by the reduction of waste.
Conclusion: Due to the small number of participants we could not prove any alteration in the number of in-hospital days or ambulatory visits. Yet international experience from Denmark and Sweden, however, demonstrate that the major part of savings is due to a decrease in health care utilization [Ref. 1]. If the Danish data were applied to Germany potential savings of around 700 to 1300 € per person per year could be estimated due to individually blistered medication.
References
- 1.
- Gundgaard J, Søndergaard B und Pharmakon (2005) Maskinel dosisdispensering i det primære sundhedsvæsen. Analyse af registerdata (http://www.cast.sdu.dk/pdf/MaskinelDosisdispenseringiDetPrimaereSundhedsvaesen_Arbejdsrapport.pdf.)