Hospital pharmacy initiatives for improving the management of patients with congenital coagulopathies.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and promote initiatives aimed at improving the management by hospital pharmacists of patients with congenital  coagulopathies in the Spanish healthcare context. METHOD: A series of initiatives to improve the care of patients with congenital coagulopathies were identified, evaluated, and prioritized by a panel of hospital pharmacists. Prioritization was based on an assessment of each  initiative's impact and feasibility on a scale of 1 to 5. Once initiatives were  prioritized, those assigned the highest priority were grouped into three action  areas. RESULTS: Seven areas of activity were identified in which the role of hospital  pharmacists is key for the management of patients with congenital coagulopathies: coordination with the healthcare team; drug  evaluation and selection; dispensing; patient information and education;  pharmacotherapeutic follow-up; research and innovation in the field of  congenital coagulopathies; and capacity-building and training of hospital  pharmacists. Fifteen initiatives were considered a priority, with an average  impact score ≥ 3.8 and a feasibility score ≥ 3.2. A total of, 29.4% of the  prioritized initiatives corresponded to healthcare, 23.5% to patient information  and education, 11.8% to drug evaluation and selection, 11.8% to  phar macotherapeutic monitoring, 11.8% to cross-sectional initiatives, 5.9% to dispensing and 5.9% to research and innovation in the field of congenital coagulopathies: In contrast, initiatives related to capacity-building and training were not prioritized. CONCLUSIONS: Three main action areas were proposed based on the initiatives  identified as high priority for the management of patients with congenital  coagulopathies by a panel of 16 hospital pharmacists. Action areas revolved  around specific activities that hospital pharmacy departments can undertake to  contribute to improving the healthcare situation in Spain.

OBJETIVO: Identificar e impulsar iniciativas orientadas a la mejora del manejo  de los pacientes con coagulopatías congénitas por parte de farmacia hospitalaria en el contexto sanitario español.Método: Se identificaron, evaluaron y priorizaron, por parte de un panel de  farmacéuticos especialistas en farmacia hospitalaria, iniciativas para la mejora  de la atención a los pacientes con coagulopatías congénitas. La priorización se  realizó en base a la valoración de su impacto y factibilidad en una escala del 1  al 5. Una vez obtenida la priorización de las iniciativas, las de mayor  puntuación se agruparon en tres grandes líneas de actuación. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron siete áreas de actividad en las que el papel de  los farmacéuticos especialistas en farmacia hospitalaria resulta clave para el  manejo del paciente con coagulopatías congénitas: coordinación con el equipo  asistencial de pacientes con coagulopatías congénitas; evaluación y selección  de medicamentos; dispensación; información y formación al paciente;  seguimiento farmacoterapéutico; investigación e innovación en estas  patologías; formación y capacitación continuada del farmacéutico especialista  en farmacia hospitalaria. Se consideraron prioritarias 15 iniciativas por tener  una puntuación media de impacto ≥ 3,8 y factibilidad ≥ 3,2. Así, el 29,4% de  las iniciativas priorizadas pertenecen al ámbito asistencial, el 23,5% a  información y formación al paciente, el 11,8% a evaluación y selección de  medicamentos, el 11,8% al seguimiento farmacoterapéutico, el 11,8% a  iniciativas transversales, el 5,9% a dispensación y el 5,9% a investigación e  innovación en el campo de las coagulopatías congénitas, mientras que las  iniciativas referentes a la formación y capacitación a profesionales no  resultaron priorizadas. CONCLUSIONES: Se han propuesto tres grandes líneas de actuación basadas en  las iniciativas identificadas como altamente prioritarias por un panel de 16  expertos farmacéuticos especialistas en farmacia hospitalaria para el manejo  de pacientes con coagulopatías congénitas. Estas iniciativas se basan en  acciones concretas y pueden llevarse a cabo desde los servicios de farmacia  hospitalaria, por lo que se cree que podrán llegar a tener un impacto real en el  contexto sanitario español.

Análisis poblacional del gasto en servicios sanitarios en Cataluña (España): ¿qué y quién consume más recursos? / Population-based analysis of the Healthcare expenditure in Catalonia (Spain): what and who consumes more resources?

Objetivo: Analizar la distribución del gasto sanitario según el ámbito asistencial y las características de los pacientes, utilizando microdatos del uso de servicios sanitarios del total de la población de Cataluña (España). Método: Se ha aplicado una tarifa o un gasto indirecto a todos los actos sanitarios financiados por CatSalut durante 2014, computando el gasto sanitario realizado por cada persona y sumando para todos los habitantes de Cataluña. Resultados: La suma del gasto sanitario realizado por todos los habitantes de Cataluña representa el 97,0% del presupuesto de CatSalut. La mitad de la población origina el 3,6% del gasto sanitario total (71 Euros por persona); un 1% de la población gastó el 23% del gasto (22.852 Euros por persona). El gasto medio más elevado, tanto en mujeres como en hombres, se da entre los 80 y los 89 años de edad. La población con una enfermedad crónica tiene un gasto medio anual de 413 Euros; con cinco, de 2413 Euros; y con 10, de 9626 Euros. El gasto medio varía según patologías, desde los 2854 Euros en los pacientes con depresión grave a los 8097 Euros de los pacientes con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana/sida. Conclusiones: Los resultados son sumamente útiles para la planificación de los servicios sanitarios y para la priorización de intervenciones de política sanitaria en los colectivos con más necesidades

Objective: To analyse the distribution of the expenditure according to the healthcare services and characteristics of patients, using the microdata of the Catalan population's use of healthcare services. Methods: A fee or an indirect cost has been applied to all healthcare activities financed by CatSalut during 2014, computing the health expenditure made up by each person and adding it all up for the inhabitants of Catalonia (Spain). Results: The sum of the healthcare expenditure made by all the inhabitants of Catalonia represents 97.0% of the CatSalut budget. Half of the population accounts for 3.6% of total healthcare expenditure (71Euros per person); 1% of the population spends 23% of the expenditure (22,852 Euros per person). The highest average expenditure, in both women and men, occurs between the age of 80 and 89. The population with a chronic disease has an average annual expenditure of 413 Euros, with 5 of 2,413 Euros, and 10 of 9,626 Euros. The average cost varies according to pathologies, from 2,854 Euros in patients with severe depression to 8,097 Euros in patients with HIV-AIDS. Conclusions: The results are extremely useful for healthcare planning and for the prioritization of health policy interventions in groups with most needs

[Population-based analysis of the Healthcare expenditure in Catalonia (Spain): what and who consumes more resources?] / Análisis poblacional del gasto en servicios sanitarios en Cataluña (España): ¿qué y quién consume más recursos?

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the distribution of the expenditure according to the healthcare services and characteristics of patients, using the microdata of the Catalan population's use of healthcare services. METHODS: A fee or an indirect cost has been applied to all healthcare activities financed by CatSalut during 2014, computing the health expenditure made up by each person and adding it all up for the inhabitants of Catalonia (Spain). RESULTS: The sum of the healthcare expenditure made by all the inhabitants of Catalonia represents 97.0% of the CatSalut budget. Half of the population accounts for 3.6% of total healthcare expenditure (71€ per person); 1% of the population spends 23% of the expenditure (22,852€ per person). The highest average expenditure, in both women and men, occurs between the age of 80 and 89. The population with a chronic disease has an average annual expenditure of 413€, with 5 of 2,413€, and 10 of 9,626€. The average cost varies according to pathologies, from 2,854€ in patients with severe depression to 8,097€ in patients with HIV-AIDS. CONCLUSIONS: The results are extremely useful for healthcare planning and for the prioritization of health policy interventions in groups with most needs.

Systematic review of guidelines in estimating social costs on drugs / Revisión sistemática de guías para la estimación de los costes sociales de las drogas

Objective: To systematically review guidance documents for the estimation of the social cost of illegal drugs, and to define standards for this estimation. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted between April and May 2015 and updated in November 2015. Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched. Studies were included only if they provided indications of analytical methods for calculating the social cost of illegal drugs consumption. Results: A total of 21 papers were selected for a final review. Four main areas of discussion were identified: a) alternative theories for the framework design; b) basic concepts definition; c) theoretical issues in the application of the framework and; d) definition of the cost matrix and its elements. The review exercise enabled the definition of two analytical approaches, which are proposed as references for estimation in the field. Conclusions: although social cost is a well-established method in the literature, there is a lack of agreement on the most appropriate approaches in the area of estimation of the social cost of illegal drugs consumption. Moreover, the two analytical approaches proposed are aimed at promoting more research focused at sophisticating the methodology in the field

Objetivo: Revisar sistemáticamente las guías para la estimación del coste social del consumo de drogas ilegales y definir estándares para su estimación. Método: La búsqueda sistemática de la literatura se realizó entre abril y mayo de 2015, y se actualizó en noviembre de 2015. Se realizaron búsquedas en Pubmed, Scopus y Google Scholar. Los estudios se incluyeron solo si explicitaban los métodos analíticos para calcular el coste social del consumo de drogas ilegales. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 21 trabajos para su revisión final. Se identificaron cuatro áreas principales de discusión: a) teorías alternativas para el diseño del marco; b) definición de conceptos básicos; c) aspectos teóricos en la aplicación del marco; y d) definición de la matriz de costes y sus elementos. El ejercicio de revisión permitió la definición de dos enfoques analíticos, que se proponen como referencia para estimación en este campo. Conclusiones: Aunque el coste social es un método bien establecido en la literatura, existe falta de acuerdo sobre los enfoques más apropiados en su aplicación al consumo de drogas ilegales. Los dos enfoques analíticos propuestos tienen como objetivo promover una mayor investigación enfocada a mejorar la metodología en este campo

Mobile therapeutic attention for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (m-RESIST): a prospective multicentre feasibility study protocol in patients and their caregivers.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is a severe form of schizophrenia. In the European Union, approximately 40% of people with schizophrenia have TRS. Factors such as the persistence of positive symptoms or higher risk of comorbidities leave clinicians with a complex scenario when treating these patients. Intervention strategies based on mHealth have demonstrated their ability to support and promote self-management-based strategies. Mobile therapeutic attention for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (m-RESIST), an innovative mHealth solution based on novel technology and offering high modular and flexible functioning, has been developed specifically for patients with TRS and their caregivers. As intervention in TRS is a challenge, it is necessary to perform a feasibility study before the cost-effectiveness testing stage. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This manuscript describes the protocol for a prospective multicentre feasibility study in 45 patients with TRS and their caregivers who will be attended in the public health system of three localities: Hospital Santa Creu Sant Pau (Spain), Semmelweis University (Hungary) and Gertner Institute & Sheba Medical Center (Israel). The primary aim is to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the m-RESIST solution, configured by three mHealth tools: an app, wearable and a web-based platform. The solution collects data about acceptability, usability and satisfaction, together with preliminary data on perceived quality of life, symptoms and economic variables. The secondary aim is to collect preliminary data on perceived quality of life, symptoms and economic variables. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study protocol, funded by the Horizon 2020 Programme of the European Union, has the approval of the ethics committees of the participating institutions. Participants will be fully informed of the purpose and procedures of the study, and signed inform consents will be obtained. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented in scientific conferences to ensure widespread dissemination. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03064776; Pre-results.