title: Value-Based Medicine: Dollars and Sense.
abstract: With ever-increasing total healthcare expenditures and expenditures on new pharmaceuticals, there is a temptation to enact relatively simple silo-based, cost-control measures such as attempts to control a burgeoning health-system medication budget by limiting physician and ultimately patient access to medications without considering cost-effectiveness or overall value. Such an approach with a singular focus on dollars does not make sense. The challenge is to think beyond a pure dollars approach in a specialty of health care where the high cost of care is acknowledged but the dynamics are not always understood. This will take a thoughtful, coordinated effort by a team of dedicated health professionals that includes a clinical pharmacist with expertise in optimal and comprehensive medication management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science, University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson, AZ.
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Erstad
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D004465:Economic Competition; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D024382:Professional Role; D011787:Quality of Health Care
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs