Assessment of the implementations of the essential medicine policy in public hospitals in Shaanxi province / 中华医院管理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the implementation of the national essential medicine system in Shaanxi Province.Methods Using a standardized methodology (2008 Edition) developed by the World Health Organization(WHO) and Health Action International(HAD,data on the prices and availability of 38 essential medicines were collected from 120 primary,secondary and tertiary public hospitals in ten cities of Shaanxi Province from March to May 2012.Results The availability of essential medicines is generally low at public hospitals in Shaanxi province,as the average availability of originator brands is but 5.9％,and that of generics of the lowest prices is but 23.9％,while this availability at tertiary hospitals is higher than hospitals of lower levels.The procurement prices of originator drugs within essential medicines are distinctly higher than the international reference prices for the originator brands,and slightly higher for the lowest priced generics.The procurement prices at primary care hospitals are slightly lower than that of other hospitals.Retail prices of essential medicine are not significantly different among regions of different income levels.Affordability of originator brands is poor,while that of their generic equivalents is good.Conclusion The government is recommended to adjust the national essential medicine list,expand the variety of essential medicine moderately,improve the medicine pricing mechanism,and deepen public hospitals reform.