Evaluation of Cost / Utility of Parenteral Antibiotics Consumption In a Tertiary Health Care Facility: A Cross sectional Study

Background Irrational use of antibiotics has resulted in costly budget, emerging resistant strains of microorganisms and adverse drug reactions. We conducted cross sectional aggregate data analysis on parenteral antibiotic (PA) on consumption and cost during year 2010 in a government tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.Materials and methodsData for 2010 was collected from pharmacy records and unit prices were obtained from medical supplies division. Initial and final stocks of the PA, quantity received, quantities issued and consumed per year were obtained. Data for VEN analysis was collected. Data was analyzed to identify the top ten for total cost (TTTC) and top ten for consumption (TTCS) PA according to the total cost and the consumption separately.Results Twenty two percent of total cost of TTTC was utilized only for 3 drugs in top ten consumed. There was not a single vital drug in TTTC in this hospital. This means 78% of money had been used to order the drugs which are not in the top ten of consumed. Sixty two percent of the drugs in top ten consumed have not contributed to the cost of TTTC. Hospital had spent 64.5% of money of total cost of TTTC to purchase only for three drugs (imipenam, merapenam and vancomycin) which are even not in TTCS.Conclusion According to the data most of the money had been utilized for less consumed but expensive PA. This shows costliest drugs had been utilized. To overcome this excessive expenditure we suggest analyzing clinical indications of these ordered drugs and substitute with low cost generics or alternative antibiotics. We continue our research work with this plan and hope to contribute to the better budgetary recommendations for low health cost.