Pharmacist-Managed Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Improves Outcomes

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry;  Public Health
Article Date: 04 Oct 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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Medicare surgical patients with the need for antimicrobial prophylaxis and who received that pharmacist-managed treatment saw improved clinical and economic outcomes, according to a large, survey-based, study published in a recent edition of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (Am J Health Syst Pharm 2007 64: 1935-1942).

Authors C.A. (Cab) Bond and Cynthia L. Raehl of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, examined pharmacist management of antimicrobial prophylaxis in 242,704 Medicare patients from 860 hospitals in the U.S and the major healthcare outcomes, including death rate, length of hospital stay, complications from surgery in those patients as well as Medicare, drug and laboratory costs incurred in their treatment.

The study determined that hospitals without pharmacist-managed antimicrobial prophylaxis for patients with surgical-site infections (SSIs), experienced annual death rates that were 52 percent higher than hospitals with pharmacist-managed antimicrobial prophylaxis. The length of hospital stays was 10 percent higher, and costs increased for treatment (3 percent), drugs (7 percent) and laboratory (almost 3 percent).

Bond and Raehl said the implications of the study show that pharmacy directors and clinical coordinators should become more involved with antimicrobial prophylaxis for their surgical patients, especially since only about half of all surgical patients receive appropriate antimicrobial prophylaxis.

"If pharmacist-managed antimicrobial prophylaxis were available for all Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, we could expect 488 fewer deaths, 724,468 fewer patient days, $865,827,064 in reduced total Medicare charges, $257,981,125 in reduced drug charges, $65,378,778 in reduced laboratory charges and 4,231 fewer patients with SSIs," the report on the study says.

The study by Bond and Raehl marked the first time economic or clinical outcomes of pharmacist-managed antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgical patients have been evaluated.

About ASHP

For more than 60 years, ASHP has helped pharmacists who practice in hospitals and health systems improve medication use and enhance patient safety. The Society's 30,000 members include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who practice in inpatient, outpatient, home-care, and long-term-care settings, as well as pharmacy students. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists help people make the best use of medicines, visit ASHP's Web site, http://www.ashp.org, or its consumer Web site, http://www.SafeMedication.