According to a recent observational study at an academic medical center, approximately how much money was wasted per operating room case as a result of preventable drug waste for 10 of the most commonly used anesthetic drugs?
As the cost of medical care in the United States has escalated, improving the efficiency of delivered health care has become an important goal. Currently, the economics of health care is one of the most pressing issues in the United States. Within the field of anesthesia, addressing drug waste is a key factor that may help reduce costs. The cost of anesthetic drugs accounts for 5 percent to 15 percent of a hospital’s pharmacy budget and about 4 percent of the cost of an individual surgical procedure. When summed for the total number of surgical procedures performed in the United States each year, money lost due to preventable drug waste could add up...
