Facilitating the Implementation of Physician-Led Medication Reviews for Patients With Severe Mental Disorder and Diabetes: A Cost-Minimization Analysis

BACKGROUND: By reporting the economic ramifications of implementing novel clinical interventions, researchers may facilitate direct implementation. We reported in a recently published randomized clinical trial that implementing physician-led medication reviews for 48 outpatients suffering from both severe mental disorders and diabetes reduced the median number of drugs and potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) by 1 compared to a median increase of 2 drugs and PIPs in the control group.

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the economic impact of implementing physician-led medication reviews through interdisciplinary dialogue for psychiatric outpatients with diabetes.

METHODS: In a cost-minimization analysis, we estimated costs of redeemed prescriptions, contacts and services related to any hospital in Region Zealand or the Capital Region Denmark, medical utensils, medical examinations (e.g., imaging diagnostics) and costs of the intervention for those 48 patients who participated in the trial.

FINDINGS: We found no significant differences in costs between groups, although patients in the intervention group only had a median of 6.50 telephone calls with the healthcare system (IQR 3.00, 13.00) compared to 14 (IQR 9.00, 25.50) in the control group, which may be relatively time-saving.

CONCLUSIONS: Within the limited scope assessed, the intervention was cost-neutral and led to a reduction in the number of prescribed drugs and PIPs.