OBJECTIVES: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a high economic burden, which is exacerbated by the high susceptibility to drug-related problems (DRPs) in this patient population. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-benefit ratio of medication reconciliation supplemented with medication review among inpatients with CKD.

METHODS: This cost-benefit analysis was conducted using data from a prospective interventional study of 142 patients with CKD admitted to two hospitals in Jordan between February and May 2023. Patients received medication reconciliation at admission and discharge as well as medication review throughout admission. A cost-benefit analysis was conducted from the healthcare system perspective by assessing the cost of the service (the pharmacist time required to complete the service per patient) and the economic benefit in terms of cost savings and cost avoidance. The primary outcome measures were the net benefit and the benefit-to-cost ratio of the intervention.

RESULTS: The total estimated cost of all DRPs in the absence of interventions (cost avoidance) was $83,052.4; among which $20,623.19 was attributed to medication discrepancies. The cost savings were estimated at -$467.5. The supplemented medication reconciliation service was estimated to cost $713.7. Accordingly, the estimated net benefit was $81,871.15 over the 4-month study period.

CONCLUSIONS: Delivering a supplemented medication reconciliation service by a clinical pharmacist for CKD patients is cost beneficial from the healthcare perspective in Jordan, an example of a low- and middle-income country (LMIC). This finding further confirms the pivotal role of clinical pharmacists in multidisciplinary healthcare teams.