Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33778880›Full record

ArticleThe International journal of pharmacy practice2021

Economic evaluation of pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments in Ontario, Canada: a cost-minimization analysis.

John J Kim, Adeline H Tian, Lee Pham, Nardine Nakhla, Sherilyn K D Houle, William W L Wong, Mhd Wasem Alsabbagh

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The International journal of pharmacy practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Self-care and minor ailments: The view from Canada.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2024
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

John J KimSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-8737-861X
Adeline H TianSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
Lee PhamSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
Nardine NakhlaSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
Sherilyn K D HouleSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
William W L WongSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
Mhd Wasem AlsabbaghSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2426-9528
University of Waterloo · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe objective of this study was to use a decision-analytic model to examine the potential economic impact of establishing a remunerated programme for pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments (PPMA) in Ontario, Canada.

methodsA novel decision tool was developed to assess the economic impact of pharmacists prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), contact dermatitis (CD) and conjunctivitis by performing a cost-minimization analysis from a public payer perspective. Two prescribing strategies were compared: (1) PPMA, where patients may seek care from pharmacists or physicians, and (2) the usual care model (UCM), where all patients receive care from physicians. Two remuneration models for the PPMA strategy were also compared: (1) a prescription-detached scenario (PDS), where pharmacists were remunerated CAD$18.00 for each consultation, and (2) a Prescription-Attached Scenario (PAS), where pharmacists were only remunerated if a decision to prescribe was made. KEY

findingsAt a service uptake rate of 38% for the PDS, the PPMA model led to savings of $7.51, $4.08 and $5.15 per patient for URTIs, CD and conjunctivitis, respectively. Per 30 000 patients, the PPMA model for these minor ailments was projected to lead to cumulative reductions in visits to the emergency department, family physician and walk-in clinics by 799, 3677 and 5090, respectively.

conclusionsThe results of the study strongly suggest that enabling community pharmacists to assess and prescribe for minor ailments could potentially lead to large savings for the government in Ontario, Canada. In 100% of the PAS scenarios simulated, pharmacists as prescribers led to cost savings.

Indexed as

PharmacistsPhysiciansCost-Benefit AnalysisEmergency Service, HospitalHumansOntarioeconomic evaluationexpanded scopeminor ailmentpharmacistprescribing

Identifiers

PMID33778880
PMCPMC8152214
OpenAlexW3147259446

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.