Feasibility study of multicentre comparison of NHS hospital pharmacy computer data

Abstract

This study aims to determine the feasibility of collecting, collating and analysing drug expenditure data from a sample of acute hospitals in England. The hospital pharmacy computer system was used to report on drug expenditure from 16 hospitals throughout England for a 2 year period. These data were analysed as a whole and hospital episode statistics were correlated to hospital drug costs. Hospital outpatient costs were found to be approximately one third of hospital inpatient costs. Cardiovascular drugs accounted for the greatest increase in expenditure for both inpatients and outpatients (25%). The most expensive therapeutic area of drug use across all sites was anti-infectives. The average daily number of occupied beds explained 55% of the variation in inpatient expenditure and the number of outpatient (including Accident and Emergency) attendances explained 60% of the outpatient drug expenditure. This project has confirmed the feasibility of collecting, collating and analysing hospital drug expenditure and identified some interesting patterns and trends in hospital drug use. Hospital activity is reflected in hospital drug costs.