[Oral anticoagulation after major hip or knee replacement surgery: a process-driven managerial pharmacoeconomic analysis in German hospitals].

BACKGROUND

The thrombin inhibitor dabigatranetexilat is used for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism after total hip or knee replacement surgery (THR/TKR). Patients can take it orally in hospitals.

METHOD

In a managerial pharmacoeconomic analysis of six German acute-care hospitals and six German rehabilitation hospitals, the use of dabigatranetexilat was compared with the use of low-molecular-weight heparins.

RESULTS

The analysis showed that the new drug led to an economic advantage for an acute-care hospital of 2.43 euro per patient per day. In a rehabilitation hospital, the use of dabigatranetexilat led to an economic advantage of 1.40 euro per patient per day.

CONCLUSION

These results have direct implications for drug decisions in hospitals. To demonstrate that fact, the price difference between dabigatranetexilat and low-molecular-weight heparins was derived to lead exactly to their"economic neutrality" from the hospital's point of view.