{"title":"Antineoplastic agents: comparing off-label uses among authoritative drug compendia.","authors":"D F Thompson, C C Keefe","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Unlabeled indications for antineoplastic drugs listed in the American Hospital Formulary-Drug Information, United States Pharmacopeia Dispensing Information-Drug Information for the Health Care Professional (Volume 1), and the American Medical Association-Drug Evaluations were evaluated. Specifically, the total number of unlabeled and unique uses (ie, not listed in either of the other two compendia) of 35 antineoplastic drugs were compared. Using a nonparametric analysis of variance to evaluate the results, significant differences in both the average unlabeled indications per drug and unique unlabeled indications per drug were found among the resources checked. The implications of the study results on reimbursement by private insurance carriers of unlabeled antineoplastic drug use is discussed in this article.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 7","pages":"641-2, 647"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20999220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Whatever happened to user fees and the FDA's promise to expedite new drug approvals?","authors":"B Gatty","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 7","pages":"656, 655"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20999224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Setting up an automatic pharmacist-initiated pharmacokinetic dosing service.","authors":"P W Ament, W M McGuire","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>At Latrobe Area Hospital, a 300-bed teaching-community hospital, a unique pharmacokinetic program is in place that permits the pharmacist to initiate and adjust an aminoglycoside or vancomycin regimen and schedule serum drug concentrations and renal function lab tests without contacting a physician for verbal approval. To avoid the perception of pharmacist prescribing, a detailed policy and procedure protocol was written that defined each step conducted in the pharmacokinetic evaluation. Using this approach, the service was readily approved by the medical staff and put into practice. The program has been operational for more than 1 year and has met with high physician and nursing acceptance. Although not specifically studied, the quality of patient care was thought to be improved.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 6","pages":"589-92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20998290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pharmacoeconomic series: Part 3. Applying pharmacoeconomic and quality-of-life measures to the formulary management process.","authors":"T L Skaer","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>P & T Committees were established as an institution's primary organizational tool for the development and maintenance of the formulary. Traditionally, P & T Committees have focused on the safety, efficacy, and acquisition cost of medications to be considered for formulary approval. Today, the impact of pharmaceuticals on patients' quality-of-life and total health care expenditures are increasingly important considerations to be weighed by P & T Committees. Pharmacoeconomic analyses and quality-of-life outcomes represent valuable contributions to the formulary decision-making and management process.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 6","pages":"577-84"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20998289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fluconazole dosing in renal impairment: a drug usage evaluation.","authors":"S B Moody, K J Sveska","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fluconazole is an antifungal agent available for oral and parenteral use. Drug dosage is based on the type and severity of infection, identity of the causative organism, the patient's renal function as determined by creatinine clearance, and response to therapy. To determine whether or not IV fluconazole was being dosed appropriately based on the above parameters, the pharmacy department at St. Joseph Hospital in Flint, Michigan, decided to perform a 3-month drug usage evaluation. As had been speculated, many fluconazole-treated patients were receiving inappropriate dosages. Specifically, renal function was not being taken into consideration in 30% of the cases. Additionally, 33% of patients received higher than necessary doses based on site and severity of infection. With the help of the P & T Committee, an educational program was implemented to assist physicians in the appropriate dosing of fluconazole.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 5","pages":"499-502"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20998040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quality of life assessment: understanding its use as an outcome measure.","authors":"S J Coons, R M Kaplan","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The limited available evidence of the effectiveness of many existing and emerging medical practices has led to the realization that health outcome data should be used in the evaluation of health care interventions. Interest in improving health outcome evaluation is increasing as a result of the need to balance the costs and benefits of medical technologies. Measures of health-related quality of life are receiving greater use in clinical studies. Quality of life measurement provides additional data for making clinical and health care policy decisions. In addition, there is growing awareness that in certain diseases, quality of life may be the most important health outcome to consider in assessing treatment efficacy. There are a number of methodological issues that must be considered in conducting or evaluating quality of life research.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 5","pages":"486-90, 492, 497-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20998039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pharmacoeconomic series: Part I. Pharmacoeconomics and the evaluation of drugs and services.","authors":"W F McGhan","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The field of pharmacoeconomics is of growing interest to everyone from government policy makers to medical staff and administrators at hospitals and other managed care settings. This article reviews basic terminology and methodologic issues related to using pharmacoeconomics to evaluate drugs and services. Economic evaluation tools such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-minimization analysis are described. The challenge for all clinicians is to use these economic evaluation tools to optimize the benefit-to-cost ratio and resultant positive outcome of programs, services, treatments, or other interventions for the patient, the institution, and society.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 4","pages":"365-6, 371-3, 377-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20998379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Productivity and quality assessment associated with conversion from i.v. to oral ranitidine.","authors":"A M Baciewicz, R I Cowan","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>At a university teaching hospital, a study was undertaken to evaluate the appropriateness of the intravenous form of ranitidine in adult patients. The assessment of the cost and quality considerations involved in the conversion of ranitidine therapy from intravenous to oral forms is presented here.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 4","pages":"397-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20998380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Antibiotic prophylaxis in cesarean section: use of cost per case comparison to influence prescribing practices.","authors":"B Weir","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Results of a previously conducted DUE revealed that 91% of obstetric patients received antibiotic prophylaxis with cefoxitin despite the existence of obstetric department guidelines recommending the use of cefazolin. In the present DUE, antibiotic selection in C-section prophylaxis was reviewed and individual prescribers, both compliant and noncompliant with guidelines, were identified. Over a 2-month period, physicians who prescribed other than cefazolin for C-section prophylaxis were issued \"Dear Doctor\" letters, reminding them of existing guidelines. A significant change in prescribing patterns following this intervention was not demonstrated. A multidisciplinary approach was then undertaken. Prescribers were stratified by number of procedures, antibiotic requested, and antibiotic cost per case (average and median). Results were reviewed with Co-chiefs of Ob/Gyn. Letters to both compliant and noncompliant prescribers were issued. A grand rounds presentation describing the results of the DUE was also given. A follow-up review showed that the conversion to cefazolin prophylaxis reached 80%, with accompanied extrapolated yearly cost avoidance of nearly $5,500.</p>","PeriodicalId":76912,"journal":{"name":"Hospital formulary","volume":"28 3","pages":"285-6, 289-90"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"20997615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}