tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35204126.post-23342159001895839512006-12-24T05:53:00.002-08:002007-02-18T22:21:12.370-08:00The National Association of Chain Drug Stores produces an annual industry report with a comprehensive review of prescription drugs, prescribing, and pharmacies.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prescribers, scripts, and dollars</span><br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pvOFsS3nf6Py5XKwhKVz5XQ">Follow this link for a sorted list of specialty practices, number of prescriptions, and dollars (2004).</a></li></ul>The Medical Group Management Association has valuable data on the administrative costs of prescribing. In a 2004 study entitled "<a href="http://www.mgma.com/about/default.aspx?id=280">Analyzing cost of administrative complexity in group practice</a>" MGMA used their study was the first using Group Practice Research Network (GPRN)of almost 300 group practices to identify administrative costs using a survey. They found that in a medical group practice with 10 physicians, more than $19,444 per year was spent on phone calls with pharmacies resolving drug formulary issues.<br /><br />SureScripts takes the MGMA data and identifies some total e-prescribing costs in their <a href="http://www.getrxconnected.com/MA/resources.aspx">GetConnectedRx Resource site</a>.<br /><br /><table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td><b>Per FTE Physician</b></td><td><b>Hours/Year</b></td><td><b>Cost/FTE</b></td></tr><tr><td>Support staff time on phone with pharmacies – Rx Refills</td><td>133.0</td><td>$1,929.00</td></tr><tr><td>Physician time on phone with pharmacies – Rx Refills</td><td>80.8</td><td>$8,083.00</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Some calculations for the savings that might be incurred at 50% and 100% e-Rx. In actuality, it is reasonable to calculate only the staff savings, but it is a matter of the extent to which savings can be realized by more volume or staff reductions.<br /><br /><table style="text-align: left; width: 100%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="4"> <tbody><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: center;">50% e-Rx<br></td><td style="vertical-align: top;">100% e-Rx<br></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">Savings per physician FTE<br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">$ 6,365<br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">$ 11,913<br></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;">FTE staff savings per MD <br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">$ 2,275<br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">$ 4,254<br></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">Total Savings<br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">$ 8,640<br></td><td style="vertical-align: top; text-align: right;">$ 16,171<br></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pvOFsS3nf6PzvKsS0AkqlDQ">Follow this link for a spreadsheet with Mark Frisse's calculations from the MGMA data</a></li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://www.mgma.com/about/default.aspx?id=280">Follow this link to get to the Excel file at the MGMA site</a></li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/35204126-2334215900189583951?l=www.markfrisse.com%2Ferx%2Fblog.html' alt='' /></div>Mark Frissenoreply@blogger.com0