Effectiveness of a Cephalosporin Education Program —A Pharmacy Education Program

Abstract

In October, 1977, a cephalosporin drug-use review and an educational program were initiated to maximize savings in the pharmacy budget at UCSF and to revise the formulatory to include only one parenteral cephalosporin. The results of the drug-use review were presented to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee where our proposal for an education campaign to encourage appropriate dosing of cefazolin was approved. An explanatory document comparing cephalosporin costs and equivalency was developed for hospital-wide distribution. Pharmacy staffs were informed of program objectives to coordinate education efforts. Physician education was undertaken via document and personal contact with pharmacy personnel. A drug-use review one month after institution of the cephalosporin education program showed marked changes in physician prescribing habits, with greater impact on services where pharmacists were members of the medical rounding team. A change to appropriate dosage prescribing of cefazolin resulted in significant cost savings to the pharmacy budget. These findings resulted in formulary revision to cefazolin as the single cephalosporin available at UCSF. Because cefazolin is available from more than one manufacturer, we were able to obtain a lower bid price the following year, thus realizing an additional cost savings.

Efficacy and Cost-Containment in Hospital Pharmacotherapy: State of the Art and Future Directions

“…Uncontrolled studies not listed in table 1 tend to support these findings, but should be interpreted cautiously. In one study (Sohn, Wolter, and McSweeney 1980), a retrospective audit revealed inefficient dosing and use of two cephalosporin antibiotics (cephapirin and cefazolin). W ritten educational guidelines were provided to physicians and then supplemented by personal visits and phone calls to those whose orders varied from the recommendations.…”