Abstract
Objectives. The aim of this study was to compare the costs of treatment at the Psychiatric Ward in Gryfice between 2016 and 2017, after the introduction of olanzapine long-acting injectable in hospital treatment.
Material and methods. Analysis of numerical data of the costs of treatment at the Psychiatric Ward in Gryfice (60 inpatient beds) between 2016 and 2017, data from the central hospital pharmacy – internal expenditure of medicines (OLAI, clozapine and zuclopentixol – acetate and decanoate). In 2016, two patients were treated with olanzapine long-acting injectable; in 2017, it was 25 patients, who met the diagnosis criteria for schizophrenia according to ICD-10 and the indications for the refund of the drug (recurrence of psychotic symptoms as a result of documented persistent lack of cooperation).
Results. Compared with 2016, in 2017, there were 104 fewer patients hospitalised (–7%); the number of patient-days decreased by 254 (–1.1%) and the number of patients diagnosed as schizophrenia lowered by 32 (–18.5%). The cost of pharmacological treatment decreased both per patient (reduction by 6.7%) and per patient-day (reduction by 12, 2%). The use of other drugs also decreased.
Conclusions. Introduction of olanzapine long-acting injectable in hospital treatment is economically beneficial in the short term. In 2017, as compared to 2016, a reduction in the cost of pharmacological treatment was achieved at the Psychiatric Ward in Gryfice (both per patient and per patient-day). The consumption of other neuroleptic drugs, such as clozapine and zuclopenthixol (acetate and decanoate), decreased, too.