A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF PHARMACOECONOMIC APPROACHES TO DRUG PROVISION OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Introduction. The costs of mental health care currently need more funding. It is extremely important to rationally redistribute available medicinal resources and to carry out a clinical and economic analysis of direct costs for pharmaceutical care to targeted patient groups. Objective: to study psychiatrists’ views about the appropriate application of pharmacoeconomic approaches to controlling the quality of drug supply in the healthcare facilities rendering inpatient mental health care. Material and methods. The investigation object was the materials of a sociological survey of expert psychiatrists (151 questionnaires). The survey questionnaire about the awareness of physicians about pharmacoeconomic evaluation methods in a hospital was specially designed. Results. The healthcare facilities providing mental health care are proven to have conducted single or no pharmacoeconomic studies. More than half of the respondent physicians are unaware of fundamental methods for a pharmacoeconomic analysis and the possibilities of additional methods for estimating the consumption and costs of drug therapy in patients with mental illnesses. 74% of the respondents consider it necessary to take a clinical pharmacist (a pharmacoeconomics manager) on the staff of a healthcare facility. Conclusion. Almost two thirds of the respondent psychiatrists are dissatisfied with the available range of drugs in the mental health care facilities. There is a need of mental health care facilities for a specialist who can use methods for a pharmacoeconomic analysis.