The role of pharmacoeconomics in formulary decision making in different hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the trend of using pharmacoeconomic information by Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) committees when making formulary decisions.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study conducted in 2007, using structured survey questionnaires which were distributed to members of the P&T committees in 11 different hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

RESULTS

A total of 100 survey questionnaires were sent to head of pharmacy departments of 11 different hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Out of these, 48 questionnaires were completed and returned. Of the total respondents participated in the study, 64.58% were medical doctors and 16.66% were pharmacists and 75% of the respondents said they have applied pharmacoeconomic evaluations in their decision making process. More than 80% of the respondents perceived that they had a fair knowledge of pharmacoeconomics. Approximately 80% of respondents expressed some degree of agreement that pharmacoeconomics should be applied as a decision making tool. The majority of decision-makers (95%) expressed the interest in attending workshops on pharmacoeconomics.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that pharmacoeconomics can play an important role in the P&T committee formulary decisions. However, more education to health care professionals and to hospital administrators should be conducted to facilitate the use of such a tool. Also, hospitals should recruit health care professionals with pharmacoeconomic expertise to manage limited health resources in the best way available.