Ellen Campbell-Grizzle
CONCERNS ABOUT the hefty cost of drugs continue. Many patients resort to partial or sequential purchasing, depending on the situation. As inventory costs skyrocket, pharmacists order many of the expensive drugs when a prescription is presented.
Stock outs of essential items are increasingly causing inconvenience for many patients. The fact is that resources are finite in all circles.
The altruistic purpose behind the development of medicines is to cure disease and alleviate suffering. However, the reality is that these medicines are at the centre of a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry. Huge corporations invest in development and expect returns on that investment. Most agree that pharmaceuticals are special items of trade while maintaining a focus on the bottom line.
The real debate surrounds cost versus quality issues. Patients want the best quality for affordable prices. Many have insurance coverage that supplements their purchasing power. However, these third party payers keep a tight lid on the use of policies. They audit, reprimand and remove providers in an effort to restrain cost. We know that there is increasing reliance on pharmaceuticals for disease control and cure, and that prices are going up. There should be collaboration between health disciplines, third party payers and the patient in these matters. Jamaica needs to develop an integrated mechanism to monitor this situation and provide the consumer with additional guidance.
Health systems have adopted from industry the concept of Health Cost Quality Circles (HCQC). Their value has been demonstrated in the clinical arena as they have been directly linked to improvement in prescribing patterns leading to better patient care. Health Cost Quality Circles have facilitated the identification of the extent of patient problems, monitored progress, produced observed savings and the identified incentives for achievement. Health Cost Quality Circles tap into people power and set gold standards for patient care. Additional benefits include:
Building patient and provider networks
Patient empowerment
Cross sectoral collaboration
Expanded volunteerism
Improved communication
Improved data stream
QUEST FOR QUALITY
Pharmacists and patients agree that the quality of medication must never be compromised. Safe distribution systems must protect against the introduction and dispensing of counterfeit drugs. In the case of medication, one of the costs of poor quality is patient demise and this should be avoided. However, a mechanism must be identified to head off the inevitable negative consequences of spiralling medication cost. In the meantime, each consumer can do something today to save on medication cost. If you purchase medication, you are paying the piper and therefore can call the tune.
Ellen Campbell Grizzle, president, Caribbean Association of Pharmacists; director, Information & Research, National Council on Drug Abuse; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
