Biomedical subjects

M K Roark

Publications and source records attributed to M K Roark.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Econotherapeutics.

A program that represents the efforts of a hospital pharmacy management company to control drug costs is described. The program, Econotherapeutics, was developed in response to a changed health care reimbursement system that focused on the costs of products rather than the revenue generated by these products. For antimicrobial agents, a hospital-specific antibiogram is used to encourage cost-effective prescribing. A pharmacist intervention program, medical staff presentations, drug usage evaluation, management systems, and educational programs for pharmacists are all essential parts of the program. Centralized data gathering has allowed cost comparison of specific antimicrobial agents so that differences between variable cost estimates and costs based on actual use can be evaluated. Actual dose and dosage interval were used to calculate average cost per treatment day in a 121-hospital sample. Our cost data support the choice of cefotaxime over ceftriaxone.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Critical pathways.

A critical Pathway (CP) is a clinical management tool that helps medical care providers coordinate the delivery of patient care for a particular case type or condition. As a guide to usual treatment patterns, a CP gives a view of the "big picture." The CP usually recommends a total treatment regimen. Treatment regimens are formulated through the consensus of a multi-disciplinary collaboration of all those involved in a patient's care. If developed and implemented properly, critical paths can lead to desirable outcomes for the patient and improved operating effectiveness/efficiency for the healthcare facility. Components of CPs often include protocols, algorithms, and clinical practice guidelines. Metrics, bench-marks, compliance, and variances become common terms among members of the healthcare team. Although CPs have gained wide acceptance as inpatient management tools, they are rapidly being sought for outpatient settings as well. This article details the CP process and cites examples of two hospitals that have used CPs to reduce length of stay and cut costs.

Anesthesiology↗