COST OF A PHARMACIST-LED PNEUMONIA EDUCATION AND IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM FOR OLDER PHILADELPHIANS

Author(s)

Alcusky MJ, Cannon-Dang E, Steele D, Schafer JJ, DeSimone Jr. JA, Pizzi LT
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

OBJECTIVES: To measure the intervention costs of the Pharmacists’ Pneumonia Prevention Project (PPPP), a community-based pneumonia education and vaccination program administered to older Philadelphians in 2014. METHODS: PPPP involved a pharmacist informational presentation, a live skit, small-group breakouts, and optional vaccination. Attendees could consent to participate in program assessments if they were aged 50+, cognitively intact, and English speaking. Recruitment and program coordination were completed through partnerships with churches and senior centers. The total cost from a health system perspective was the sum of time costs (pharmacy, community health workers; CHWs for travel, training, supervision and planning), supplies (vaccine, medical, and office supplies), actor and site fees. Time requirements for each program date were recorded using a staff log. Wages were applied to time using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics rates plus fringe benefits applicable to each partnering institution. Volunteer pharmacy students were assigned zero time costs. RESULTS: Among 276 individuals who attended PPPP, 203 consented to program assessments and were mostly female (74.9%), black (80.4%), and the mean age was 74.  PPPP was offered on 8 dates at 4 community locations. Mean staff requirements for each date were 5.5 students, 3.6 pharmacists, and 2 CHW. The total program cost was $32,513 (per-attendee cost = $118). Time costs associated with planning ($11,927), program delivery ($8,659), and non-volunteer travel ($2,257) represented 70.3% of the total cost. Time and expenses for vaccination ($7,861) also contributed substantially to PPPP costs (24.2%), while actors’ fees ($1,750) represented 5.4%. Excluding vaccination costs and actor costs would yield per-attendee costs of $89.32 and $82.98, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Resources requirements for PPPP are high, but will be further evaluated in terms of outcomes achieved (knowledge gains, vaccination rate). Costs could be offset by reimbursement for vaccination, omitting this component, and/or using a video skit rather than live actors.

Conference/Value in Health Info

2015-05, ISPOR 2015, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Value in Health, Vol. 18, No. 3 (May 2015)

Code

PHS52

Topic

Economic Evaluation

Topic Subcategory

Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies

Disease

Infectious Disease (non-vaccine)

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