Potential Cost Avoidance of Adverse Drug Reactions Prevention in Outpatient Pharmacy Department Ramathibodi Hospital Thailand

Abstract

Pharmacists’ intervention in hospital setting is very beneficial both in patients’ clinical outcome
and economic aspect, in terms of cost avoidance due to adverse drug reactions. This study was conducted
to calculate cost avoidance of adverse drug reactions (ADR) prevention in outpatient pharmacy
department in Ramathibodi Hospital Thailand. A retrospective database review of hospital pharmacy
interventions preventing adverse drug reaction was conducted at second floor pharmacy unit, Somdech-
PhraDebaratana Medical Center, Ramathibodi hospital between 1 July 2013 and 31 December 2013. Potential
cost avoidance of ADR was calculated using diagnosis-related groups (DRG’s) data. Results showed
that the detection of ADR was 0.239%. The most frequent ADR came from Penicillin group was accounted
for 32.4% of total case. The estimated cost avoidance generated during July-December 2013 was Thai
Baht (THB) 592,320 to THB 1,257,428 (USD 19,278 to USD 40,925, value 2013). It can be concluded
that hospital pharmacists positively impacted on economic benefit of patients by providing ADR detection.
More complete data are needed to get a better results of a real cost avoidance of ADR prevention.