의약분업의 비용-편익 분석

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative benefits and the costs associated with the 0aintroduction of the new pharmaceutical provision called 'Mandatory Prescription Syste0am' which separates the role of physicians from that of pharmacists with respect to the 0aprescription and dispensation of from the perspective of consumers (i.e., patients).0a METHODS: The costs of the system were measured by considering both direct and 0aindirect costs. Direct costs included additional payments for ambulatory care and 0adispensing fees that occurred under the new system. Indirect costs consisted of 0atransportation expenses and costs related to time spent for physician consultation, 0awaiting for the prescriptions to be filled, and extra traveling. Benefits identified in this 0astudy were the reduction of drug misuse and overuse, and the overall decrease in drug 0aconsumption among the Korean population. Sensitivity analysis was performed for the 0ainclusion of benefits for outpatients of hospitals, price elasticity, and increased fees for 0aestablished patients.0a RESULTS: The net benefit was estimated to be about minus 1,862 billion won and the 0abenefit-cost ratio was 0.478. This indicates that the costs of 'Mandatory Prescription' 0aoutweigh its benefits, relative to the previous system. The sensitivity analysis results 0afor all the variables considered in this study consistently showed the benefit-cost ratio 0ato be less than 1.0a CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that implementing Mandatory Prescription 0aSystem in Korea might be inefficient from the consumer's perspective. The results of 0athis study do not coincide with the results of previous studies, presumably because of 0athe differences in study design and in which items of costs and benefits were 0aconsidered.