Management of returned anti-neoplastic treatments and their reuse in oncology patients.

OBJECTIVE: Analyse the profile of parenteral preparation and treatment (anti-neoplastic and supplementary) that were dispensed and returned to the Pharmacy Department, the reasons why they were not administered, their reuse and the associated direct costs. METHOD: Longitudinal study over eight months (October 2004-May 2005) in a tertiary hospital with centre for preparing anti-neoplastic agents (including supplementary treatment) in its Pharmacy Department. The variables studied, downloaded from the Oncofarm® application, are as follows: (a) patients and diagnostics; (b) returned treatments, classified by reason returned, pharmaco-therapeutic scheme, cycle and day; (c) returned preparations (anti-neoplastic and supplementary) that were reused; and (d) direct costs. Data is presented with its absolute and relative frequencies and confidence intervals of 95% normalised at 1000 patients/day. RESULTS: 84 treatments were returned by 66 patients for a total of 139 preparations corresponding to 3,429 patients/day. This figure represents 24.5 (CI 95%, 19.6 to 30.2) treatments that were prepared and not administered per 1,000 patients/day, mainly due to clinical causes (n = 47). Colon neoplasia and treatment with 5-fluorouracil and levofolinic acid presented the highest number of returns. The returned preparations made up 1.45 % (CI 95%, 1.2 to 1.7) of those produced. The percentage of reuse is 98%, which results in savings of euro 10,432.55 (90% of the cost of the treatments that are returned). CONCLUSIONS: The application of quality, effectiveness and safety criteria to anti-neoplastic treatments that are prepared and returned to the Pharmacy Department allows a more efficient preparation process.

Gestión de la devolución de tratamientos antineoplásicos y de su reutilización en pacientes oncológicos / Management of returned anti-neoplastic treatments and their reuse in oncology patients

Objetivo: Analizar el perfil de tratamientos y preparaciones parenterales (antineoplásicas y de soporte) dispensados y devueltos al servicio de farmacia, las causas de no administración, su reutilización y los costes directos asociados. Método: Estudio longitudinal, prospectivo, durante 8 meses (octubre 2004-mayo 2005) en un hospital terciario con centralización de la preparación de esquemas antineoplásicos (incluye tratamiento de soporte) en el servicio de farmacia. Las variables estudiadas, descargadas del aplicativo Oncofarm®, fueron: a) pacientes y diagnósticos; b) tratamientos devueltos, diferenciando por causa, esquema farmacoterapéutico, ciclo y día; c) preparaciones devueltas (antineoplásicos y soporte) y reutilizadas, y d) costes directos. Los datos se presentan con sus frecuencias absolutas, relativas e intervalos de confianza (IC) del 95 %, normalizado a 1.000 pacientes/día. Resultados: 84 tratamientos devueltos de 66 pacientes con un total de 139 preparaciones correspondientes a 3.429 pacientes/día. Este dato representa 24,5 (IC del 95 %, 19,6 a 30,2) de tratamientos preparados y no administrados por 1.000 pacientes/día, debido, mayoritariamente, a causas clínicas (n = 47). La neoplasia de colon y el esquema de 5-fluorouracilo y ácido levofolínico presentan el mayor número de devoluciones. Las preparaciones devueltas suponen el 1,45 % (IC del 95 %, 1,2 a 1,7) de las elaboradas. El porcentaje de reutilización es del 98 %, con un coste ahorrado que asciende a 10.432,55 (90 % del coste de los tratamientos devueltos).Conclusiones: La aplicación de criterios de calidad, eficacia y seguridad a los tratamientos antineoplásicos preparados y devueltos al servicio de farmacia permite incrementar la eficiencia en el proceso de preparación (AU)

Objective: Analyse the profile of parenteral preparation and treatment (anti-neoplastic and supplementary) that were dispensed and returned to the Pharmacy Department, the reasons why they were not administered, their reuse and the associated direct costs. Method: Longitudinal study over eight months (October 2004-May 2005) in a tertiary hospital with centre for preparing anti-neoplastic agents (including supplementary treatment) in its Pharmacy Department. The variables studied, downloaded from the Oncofarm® application, are as follows: a) patients and diagnostics; b) returned treatments, classified by reason returned, pharmaco-therapeutic scheme, cycle and day; c) returned preparations (anti-neoplastic and supplementary) that were reused; and d) direct costs. Data is presented with its absolute and relative frequencies and confidence intervals of 95 % normalised at 1000 patients/day. Results: 84 treatments were returned by 66 patients for a total of 139 preparations corresponding to 3,429 patients/day. This figure represents 24.5 (CI 95 %, 19.6 to 30.2) treatments that were prepared and not administered per 1,000 patients/day, mainly due to clinical causes (n = 47). Colon neoplasia and treatment with 5-fluorouracil and levofolinic acid presented the highest number of returns. The returned preparations made up 1.45 % (CI 95 %, 1.2 to 1.7) of those produced. The percentage of reuse is 98 %, which results in savings of € 10,432.55 (90 % of the cost of the treatments that are returned).Conclusions: The application of quality, effectiveness and safety criteria to anti-neoplastic treatments that are prepared and returned to the Pharmacy Department allows a more efficient preparation process (AU)