E-DRUG: pooled procurement of pharmaceuticals (2)
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Dear Maggie,
We've been looking at this in New Zealand. Our government agency PHARMAC
began pooled procurement on behalf of public hospitals in 2002 as part
of their National Hospital Pharmaceutical Strategy. It has been quite
successful. The first year results showed savings of about 4% on
hospital pharmaceutical expenditure. We collected data for a further two
years and hope to present our findings later this year. We are writing a
paper on this at present.
First year findings were published in Value in Health
Tordoff J, Norris P, Reith D. Managing Prices for Hospital
Pharmaceuticals: A successful Strategy for New Zealand? Value in Health
2005; 8(3) 201-208
Some references to pooled procurement we've found are:
Graham R. It's all change for trusts on the procurement front. Pharm J.
2004; 11(7): 293-4.
Bae JP, and Justice PG. Pharmacy Benefit Management contracting: An
assessment from a recent public sector procurement experience.
J Health Care Finance. 2002; 29(1): 49-56.
Curtis S, and Mounsey C. Pharmacy procurement: The contracting process
for generic drugs. Hosp Pharm. 1998; 5(June): 151-154.
Gannon K, and Gebhart F. Pharmacy debates pluses, minuses of large GPOs.
Hosp Pharm Rep. 1997; 11(April): 67-70.
Hayes E. Bulk procurement in the Gulf States and the Maghreb. Essent
Drugs Monit. 1993; 14: 9.
Lemon ABW. Group Purchasing and Shared Regional Services. Hosp Mater
Manage Q. 1984; 6(1): 52-57
Campbell KG. The combined hospital boards' drug purchasing scheme. NZ
Hosp. 1980; 32(1): 23-27.
and your own
Huff-Rousselle M, and Burnett F. Cost containment through pharmaceutical
procurement: a Caribbean case study. Int Journal Health Plann Manage.
1996; 11(2): 135-157.
Best regards
June Tordoff, Pauline Norris, School of Pharmacy
David Reith, Dunedin School of Medicine
University of Otago, New Zealand
--
Pauline Norris, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Leader, Pharmacy Practice Research
School of Pharmacy
University of Otago
Box 913
Dunedin
New Zealand
Ph: 64 3 479 7359
Mobile: 64 274 80 95 95
Fax: 64 3 479 7034
E-mail: pauline.norris@stonebow.otago.ac.nz