OBJECTIVE: To determine if documentation of the prices of medication/s and laboratory test/s will result in cost saving.

METHODS: This is a cost minimization study. The subjects included patients seen at the Adult Ambulatory Care Unit of the emergency room of a tertiary hospital. The charts of patients seen in the group without price documentation (February 1-May 31, 2001) were retrieved. A memorandum instructing residents to document the prices of prescribed laboratory tests and medications was introduced and this group with price documentation (February 1-May 31, 2002) used a data collection form. Mean cost of laboratory, mean cost of medications, mean total cost of care and the mean savings per patients was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: There was a decrease in the mean cost of laboratory test in the group with price documentation, seen greatest in hypertension (PhP 173.87/patient), and least in bronchial asthma (PhP 4.00/patient). Overall mean savings for laboratory cost was PhP 62.83/patient. For the mean medication cost, hypertension (PhP76.63/patient), urinary tract infection (PhP 184.62/patient) and bronchial asthma all showed a decrease in mean cost while an increase in mean medication cost was seen in acute gastroenteritis (PhP 46.85/patient) and dyspepsia (PhP222.73/patient). Overall, there was a mean savings of PhP 39.81/patient in medication cost. In the total mean cost, except for dyspepsia, a decrease was noted. Overall, the total mean cost saved with price information amounted to PhP 102.64/patient.

CONCLUSION: Documentation of the prices of laboratory tests among patients seen at the adult ambulatory care unit of the emergency room is an effective means of minimizing costs in the said area.

The Filipino Family Physician, 2003 41 ( 3 ) pages 97-102