The Cost-Saving Effect of a Centralized Unit for Anticancer Drugs Processing at the Oncology Department of Tirana

• Author: Artan Shkoza Mirlinda Likmeta Ledjan Malaj
• Position: University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania
• Pages: 27-32

27

IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania

Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences Vol. 1 No. 3

November 2015

ISSN 2410-3918

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

The Cost-Saving Effect of a Centralized Unit for Anticancer Drugs Processing

at the Oncology Department of Tirana

M.D. Artan Shkoza

University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania

Msc. Mirlinda Likmeta

University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania

Prof. Ledjan Malaj

University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania

Abstract

The worldwide increase in cancer prevalence has led to a substantial cost rising in Medical

Oncology. Of particular importance are highly expensive drugs used to treat various types of

cancers in developing countries like Albania. Hence, pharmacoeconomics may play an impor-

tant role in reducing the drug wastage and financial burden placed on patients, family and

society in general; of course, without adversely impacting patient’s health outcomes. Our aim

was to calculate cost-savings effect of a centralized unit, which allows residual amounts of

unused drugs to be reused by patients whose treatments are elaborated in the same working

day. We calculated in a comprehensive manner the number of saved vials (flasks) for seven

drugs generated from residual amounts of the same working day and, converted them into

cost-saving monetary value. We did not take into account prescribed drug dosages that fitted

exactly with doses contained in a vial. Over a six month period, there were: a total of 6558

prescriptions for a total of 1180 patients, a total of 1524 saved vials and, a total cost-saving of

134, 348 (•). The saved value represents 6.2 percent of the cytostatic drugs budget for 2005. Our

experience confirms the economic benefit of waste reduction and cost-savings effect due to a

centralized unit of anticancer drug processing. The centralized unit increases also the drug

traceability from preparation to patient.

Keywords: centralized unit, anticancer drug processing, cost savings, drug traceability.

Introduction

Cancer is intoxicating our environment due to its morbidity, mortality and the

substantial increases of its treatment costs (Reeder & Gordon, 2006, 3-16). The

economic burden of cancer is more pronounced in developing countries where limited

resources are insufficient to and do not meet public needs on the quantity and quality

of medical services (Jufang & Huiyun, 2010, 240).

Cancer is becoming a major priority for health policies in Albania for two major reasons:

the increase of mortality and morbidity rates for a number of cancers and the delays

in diagnosis. The incidence of breast cancer in our country is about 24 -26 new cases

per 100, 000 women. Furthermore, urban areas like Tirana, are affected 3 - 4 times

more than rural ones. The Service of Oncology in University Hospital Centre “Mother

Teresa” of Tirana is the only public health structure that offers multidisciplinary

treatments for cancer patients in Albania.