Developing reimbursable clinical pharmacy programs: pharmacokinetic dosing service

Abstract

The development, operation and evaluation of a pharmacy-conducted pharmacokinetic dosing service is described. Pharmacists recommend individualized drug dosing regimens based on pharmacokinetic models and equations clinically tested for accuracy by the pharmacy department. Pharmacokinetic values are determined with the aid of online computer programs developed by the department. Drug assays are provided by the hospital's laboratory. All of the department's pharmacists were trained to provide the 24-hour service. The pharmacy department's $20 pharmacokinetic dosing service fee is reimbursed by Blue Cross. The pharmacokinetic dosing service is the first nonteaching, nonproduct-oriented pharmaceutical service whose cost-effectiveness has been recognized by a third-party payer.