Dose-Optimization Intervention Yields Significant Drug Cost Savings

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To employ a carefully structured dose optimization program within a large integrated healthcare system to maximize potential drug cost savings. SETTING: Provider Service Network (Boston, MA) PRACTICE INNOVATION: A dosage optimization intervention utilizes pharmacy claims data to prospectively identify patients receiving multiple units per day of a lower strength, once-daily medication and provides clinicians a tool to switch these patients to a regimen that is an equivalent daily dose given as a single unit once daily. Performing this intervention with chronic once-daily medications that are available in multiple strengths with comparable pricing among these strengths can yield significant drug cost savings. OUTCOMES MEASURES: The total number of dosage consolidation interventions and the estimated annualized drug cost savings of approved dose optimization interventions were determined. RESULTS: Within a 6-month timeframe, 454 approved dosage optimization interventions yielded an estimated annualized drug cost savings of approximately $390,662. CONCLUSION: A dose optimization intervention represents an effective, readily employed method to assist organizations in achieving pharmacy cost management goals.