Cost of care: tough issues facing oncology

Nierengarten, Mary Beth

doi:10.1016/s1470-2045(08)70121-9

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…In 2007 cancer costs accounted for around 6% of health care costs in Europe [ 5 ]. Total attributable expenses of cancer care include direct costs, such as drug expenditure, and indirect costs, mainly loss of productivity in individuals of working age [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although prescription drug expenditure is only a small percentage of health care costs [ 6 ], antineoplastics alone represent a significant and growing part of this spending (~15% [ 5 ]) and are the leading category in hospital drugs expenses [ 7 ]. Even though few data are available, drug-related expenditure is proportionally higher in Oncology than in other medical specialities and overcome staffing costs for outpatients care [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Drug waste minimization as an effective strategy of cost-containment in Oncology

Fasola

Aprile

Marini

et al. 2014

BMC Health Serv Res

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BackgroundSustainability of cancer care is a crucial issue for health care systems worldwide, even more during a time of economic recession. Low-cost measures are highly desirable to contain and reduce expenditures without impairing the quality of care. In this paper we aim to demonstrate the efficacy of drug waste minimization in reducing drug-related costs and its importance as a structural measure in health care management.MethodsWe first recorded intravenous cancer drugs prescription and amount of drug waste at the Oncology Department of Udine, Italy. Than we developed and applied a protocol for drug waste minimization based on per-pathology/per-drug scheduling of chemotherapies and pre-planned rounding of dosages.ResultsBefore the protocol, drug wastage accounted for 8,3% of the Department annual drug expenditure. Over 70% of these costs were attributable to six drugs (cetuximab, docetaxel, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, pemetrexed and trastuzumab) that we named ‘hot drugs’. Since the protocol introduction, we observed a 45% reduction in the drug waste expenditure. This benefit was confirmed in the following years and drug waste minimazion was able to limit the impact of new pricely drugs on the Department expenditures.ConclusionsFacing current budgetary constraints, the application of a drug waste minimization model is effective in drug cost containment and may produce durable benefits.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drug waste minimization as an effective strategy of cost-containment in Oncology

Fasola

Aprile

Marini

et al. 2014

BMC Health Serv Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…1 Most existing studies on the economic burden of cancer lack sufficient detail to provide an accurate understanding of all the different factors associated with cancer treatment. 1 Most existing studies on the economic burden of cancer lack sufficient detail to provide an accurate understanding of all the different factors associated with cancer treatment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%