Large consumers of medicines in the South African healthcare industry - notably public and private hospitals - can help reduce the cost of medicines by implementing medication management systems for greater control, says Lorna Powe, head of healthcare for Computer Sciences Corporation`s operations in South Africa.
"Significant savings can be achieved with systems that track each tablet as it is distributed to patients," she says.
Powe says stock losses don`t only result from theft, but also from the erroneous distribution of drugs to patients. Medication management systems not only provide accurate information about usage and trends, but these systems can contribute to reducing the overall cost of medicines by reducing the healthcare industry`s need to factor stock losses into the price of medicines.
"Rather than keep costs high to compensate for losses - and passing these costs onto consumers - the healthcare industry should implement medication management systems to improve the control of medicine stocks and dosage," she says.
Medication management systems help calculate dosages, issue warnings in the event of incorrect or duplicate drug ordering and/or prescribing (for example, if a patient`s daily maximum dose is exceeded) and also help to identify any deviations in the planned dispensing and administration of drugs.
Powe believes all large purchasers of medicines should use medication management systems to achieve greater control and cost savings.
"Perhaps it is time for medical schemes and other interested parties to insist on the use of medication management systems so that the cost of medicines can be kept to a minimum. If medical schemes and healthcare providers worked together they could develop a set of prescription templates and could agree on the use of cheaper alternatives such as generics.
Powe believes that while hospitals have an obligation to provide the patient with the best treatment at the best price, this is often easier said than done, particularly when doctors - referring patients to a private hospital - insist on specific, and often more expensive, medication.
Developing templates for structured prescribing orders would also benefit hospitals as they would reduce errors of omission or commission by validating the type of medication being ordered, she says.
"Prescription templates contain different dose calculators to guide those entering orders with complex dosing or administration requirements (for example, taper dosing, sliding scale, alternate day dosing). These systems would relieve pressure on overworked staff, particularly those in hospitals experiencing severe staff shortages, by suggesting standard prescriptions and by reducing the need to recapture prescription data.
"Medication management systems, which are widely used in hospitals around the world, are one of the most cost-effective ways in which the South African healthcare industry can reduce the cost of medicines," says Powe.
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