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Funding pharmacists in general practice: a feasibility study to inform the design of future economic evaluations

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Abstract
BackgroundFunding is a significant barrier to employing general practice pharmacists.Objective(s)To explore the feasibility of determining the cost-benefit of pharmacists in Australian general practice.MethodsTwo part-time pharmacists were employed by general practices in Canberra, Australia. Diaries of the pharmacists were analysed to determine time worked and participation in income-generating activities, including Government-funded programs: Asthma Cycle of Care, Home Medicine Reviews, and Health Care Assessments. Scenarios using different practice and business models were entered into value-cost models to determine the income generated by the pharmacists relative to their salary.ResultsOver 19 weeks, pharmacists A and B supported 47 and 23 Asthma Cycle of Care activities, generating income to the general practice of AU$4,700 and AU$2,300, respectively. The pharmacists spent 36.4 and 24.1 hours on activities usually conducted by general practitioners (GPs), allowing additional time for GP-patient consultations. Value-cost models determined AU$0.61 - AU$1.20 income generation by pharmacists per AU$1 salary.ConclusionsIt was feasible to determine the value-cost ratios of employing pharmacists in general practice using these methods. Future work should focus on developing a robust business model that includes health care system savings resulting from practice pharmacist interventions, determined from randomised controlled trials.
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: | Kosari, S and Deeks, LS and Naunton, M and Dawda, P and Postma, MJ and Tay, GH and Peterson, GM |
Keywords: | pharmacists, general practice, general practitioners, primary care, economics |
Journal or Publication Title: | Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy |
Publisher: | Elsevier Inc. |
ISSN: | 1551-7411 |
DOI / ID Number: | 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.07.030 |
Copyright Information: | Copyright 2020 Elsevier |
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