Abstract
Objective:
To determine whether antibiotic restriction can produce savings.
Design:
Cost comparative analysis before and after antibiotic control.
Methods:
Cost control policy included removal of nonessential antibiotics from the emergency department and the operating room, the use of a clinical pathway protocol for pneumonia, and approval from the infectious disease consultant for certain high-cost antibiotics.
Setting:
Lutheran Medical Center, a community hospital in Brooklyn, New York.
Results:
Between the two 12-month periods analyzed (March 1995-February 1996 vs. March 1996-February 1997), we found a cost reduction of approximately 26% among intravenous antibiotics with a concomitant 10% cost reduction in oral antibiotics. Intravenous antibiotic use decreased by more than 22%, especially with regard to higher priced agents. Furthermore, we documented a 24% reduction in cost per patient. Hospital admission rates declined only 2.5% during the second 12-month period.
Conclusions:
Appropriate restriction of antibiotics can be done effectively and simply in a local hospital with no additional funding and achieve considerable cost savings.
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