Model for cost-benefit analysis of clinical pharmacy in family practice.

A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) model that can be used to estimate the economic consequences expected from the inclusion of clinical pharmacy services in a family practice clinic was developed; use of the model was demonstrated by applying it to a hypothetical solo-physician practice. The effects that clinical pharmacy services would have on the medical practice were evaluated and classified as either costs or benefits. Equations were derived to quantify all direct effects. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews of 15 family practice physicians and five family practice clinical pharmacists were conducted to generate data describing a hypothetical solo-physician practice. Responses from these interviews were averaged to provide the numerical values called for by the equations in the CBA model. The difference between total costs and total benefits was the net benefit that could be expected by the hypothetical solo-physician practice for the first year after including a clinical pharmacist in that practice. The net benefit determined by these calculations was $2744 assuming a 5% increase in overall quality of care, or $25,658 assuming a 20% increase in overall quality of care. The net-benefit figure obtained by applying the CBA model to the hypothetical case should not be generalized to other practices. Rather, by applying the CBA model, practitioners and administrators can calculate the expected net benefit specific for their particular medical practice.