title: Kaiser Permanente's evaluation and management of biotech drugs: assessing, measuring, and affecting use.
abstract: Two decades into the age of high-cost biotechnology medications, health care organizations are challenged to provide safe, effective treatment while managing costs. In a market lacking generic biotech drugs, health care organizations have few opportunities to negotiate reduced pricing; other strategies must be devised to manage use. Kaiser Permanente leverages its integrated health care delivery system to deploy management tools for costly therapies: evidence analysis, usage measurements, and multidisciplinary planning. Evidence-based medicine and realization of value provided by new therapies will depend on data capture and outcomes measurement, tools that are crucial to Kaiser Permanente's management of biotechnologies and effective use of members' financial resources.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Drug Information Services, in Downey, California, USA. doug.c.monroe@kp.org
authors.forename: C Douglas
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Monroe
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Mirta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Millares
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrueta
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States