Economic impact of the clinical pharmacist interventions in the pediatric intensive care unit

Clinical pharmacists in intensive care units are involved in patient safety, technical guidance and cost saving with rational use of medicines. This study aimed to estimate the cost saving of clinical pharmacist interventions in pediatric intensive care units (PICU). This was a retrospective, observational study. Savings were measured for three months based on (1) Clinical pharmacist interventions from prescription analysis, (2) Individualized doses of four antibiotics, (3) Comparison of drugs dispensing systems before and after the decentralization of pharmacy services. The main outcome is costs saving with strategic planning of medication use based on local reality. A number of 73 clinical pharmacist interventions were made, from which 13 allowed the calculation of economic impact, saving US$ 633.38/year. Cost saving from individualized doses of four antibiotics was US$ 8,754.46/year. The decentralization of pharmacy services saved US$ 28,770.52/year. The evaluated interventions were successful. Clinical pharmacist interventions, individualized antimicrobials doses and decentralization of pharmacy services reduce costs in the hospital.

Reconciliação de medicamentos: processo de implantação em um complexo hospitalar com a utilização de sistema eletrônico / Medication reconciliation: implantation process in a hospital complex with the use of electronic system

RESUMO Este estudo avaliou a implantação da reconciliação de medicamentos em um hospital multibloco, filantrópico e de ensino com a utilização de um sistema eletrônico para realizar o registro da atividade com atuação multiprofissional. Foram capacitados 438 profissionais da enfermagem sobre a reconciliação de medicamentos. De outubro de 2017 a março de 2018, foram registradas pelo enfermeiro, no prontuário eletrônico, a informação sobre uso prévio de medicamentos para 1.379 pacientes. Foram reconciliados pelo farmacêutico apenas 347 destes registros, sendo que 106 precisaram de intervenção com médico prescritor. O número de pacientes que tiveram o medicamento informado como de uso prévio prescrito sem nenhuma alteração foi de 180, os que tiveram o medicamento prescrito com alguma alteração foram 47, e os que não possuíam os medicamentos informados prescritos foram 106. A utilização de sistemas informatizados pode ser útil para as equipes executarem a reconciliação medicamentosa, mas depende da correta utilização do sistema e treinamento das equipes. O acompanhamento diário do farmacêutico clínico aumenta a segurança do paciente quanto ao uso de medicamentos dentro dos hospitais, entretanto, para executar a atividade, é necessário realizar algumas medidas de melhoria para obter o cumprimento da reconciliação de medicamentos dos pacientes na sua totalidade.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the implementation of medication reconciliation in a philanthropic, teaching, and multi-block hospital with the use of an electronic system to record the multidisciplinary activity. A total of 438 nursing professionals were trained on medication reconciliation. From October 2017 to March 2018, the information about previous use of drugs for 1,379 patients was registered by the nurse in the electronic system. Only 347 of those records were reconciled by the pharmacist, and 106 needed intervention of the prescribing doctor. The number of patients who had the medication prescribed without any change was 180, 47 had the medication prescribed with some change, and 106 did not have the prescribed the medications of previous use. The use of computerized systems can be useful for the teams to perform medication reconciliation, but it depends on the correct use of the system and training of the teams. The daily follow-up of the clinical pharmacist increases patient safety regarding the use of drugs within the hospitals, but to perform the activity some improvement measures are necessary to obtain compliance with the patients' medication reconciliation in their entirety.