Reply To: Cost to facility of antimicrobial use-?

Hi Narelle,

To my understanding:

In Australia, aged care homes are required to monitor antimicrobial use and effects primarily to ensure clinical safety and reduce antimicrobial resistance, rather than specifically to monitor the direct financial cost of the drugs. However, monitoring for appropriate use and adverse events inherently involves looking at the financial cost-effectiveness of antimicrobials (in this case antibiotics), as inappropriate use is considered a waste of resources.

Direct Medication Costs: Cost of expensive, broad-spectrum antibiotics compared to more appropriate, targeted, and generally cheaper agents.

Hence, reviewing the cost of all antibiotics against the cost of those that were prescribed inappropriately – will provide the cost of wasted resources. If high, this will highlight the need for change to ensure clinical safety.

e.g.
AB costs total= $3000
AB inappropriate agent or prescribed costs = $2000

3000-2000 = 1000

If correct prescribing had occurred the cost of AB should have been $1000
$2000 is high demonstrating high wasted resource use and high inappropriate prescribing.

Laboratory/Diagnostic Costs: Identifying costs associated with unnecessary pathology tests or prolonged investigation can also be reviewed.

Regards Carrie