Authors (including presenting author) :
LAI KT(1), LIM WL(2), LAI WY(3), KWAN KP(4), LO IF(5), CHOW KW(6)
Affiliation :
(1)Pharmacy Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, (2)Pharmacy Department, Shatin Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Medication Wastage Reduction
Keyword 2: :
Hospital Transfer Patients
Keyword 3: :
Drug Screening Program
Keyword 4: :
Cost-Effectiveness in Pharmacy Services
Keyword 5: :
Inter-Hospital Medication Management
Introduction :
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a targeted intervention designed to minimize drug wastage during patient transfers from Prince of Wales Hospital to Shatin Hospital. The primary objective is to assess the potential reduction in drug wastage and cost savings for patients transferred on Saturdays (after 1 pm), Sundays, and Public Holidays, when pharmacy support at SH is unavailable. By identifying and excluding from dispensing any medications already available at SH as ward stock, the intervention seeks to promote more efficient resource utilization, improve medication management practices, and contribute to a more sustainable healthcare system
Objectives :
To evaluate the potential for minimizing drug wastage, cost savings, and enhancing medication management efficiency in patients transferred from Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) to Shatin Hospital (SH) on weekends and public holidays.
Methodology :
A prospective, interventional, service-based pilot study was conducted across nine 30-bed short-stay medical wards at Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH), Hong Kong, from 9th December 2024 to 28th February 2025. This involved prescription screening for patients transferring from PWH to Shatin Hospital (SH) on weekends and public holidays, performed by the pharmacy team using a Microsoft Excel- based program. Medications prescribed at PWH that were available as ward stock at SH were identified and excluded from dispensing to optimize resource utilization and minimize drug wastage. The mean time spent per medication item prescribed between the control and intervention groups was compared using a two-sided Mann-Whitney U test.
Result & Outcome :
Over 28 designated weekends and public holidays, a total of 93 discharge prescriptions were screened, comprising 1,303 prescribed medication items. Of these, 662 items (50.81%) were excluded from dispensing as they were available as ward stock in the receiving ward. This intervention demonstrated a potential annual cost savings of HK$25,230.44 across the nine medical wards. No statistically significant difference in the mean time spent per item was found between the control and intervention groups (control: 2.95 min, SD 1.82; intervention: 3.42 min, SD 3.35; P > 0.6)
