Cost analysis of an aminoglycoside pharmacokinetic dosing program.

A two-year retrospective study was conducted on the effects on hospital costs and charges of a pharmacy-based pharmacokinetic consultation service for aminoglycosides. In a 185-bed, acute-care hospital, the pharmacy department provided a pharmacokinetic consultation service for all patients for whom serum aminoglycoside assays were ordered by the physician. Patient charges and hospital costs were determined for the 98 patients for whom, over a two-year period, pharmacokinetic consultations were performed. The effects of service were measured in terms of changes in costs and charges for drug products and supplies, changes in personnel costs based on altered dosing intervals, and laboratory costs and charges. Because many of the patients in the study were elderly, the kinetics service was able to increase the dosing interval for 45 patients. This produced reduced patient charges for drug products of $6284.55 for the 98 patients. Drug-assay charges were $9734.20 for these patients, but much of this cost would have been incurred without the kinetic service. Overall, the kinetic service reduced the hospital costs $563.28. Drug-charge savings to the patient and hospital costs were reduced by this pharmacy-based pharmacokinetic consultation service.