[Oral anticoagulation after major hip or knee replacement surgery: a process-driven managerial pharmacoeconomic analysis in German hospitals]

Abstract

Background: The thrombin inhibitor dabigatranetexilat is used for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism after total hip or knee replacement surgery (THR/TKR). Patients can take it orally in hospitals.

Method: In a managerial pharmacoeconomic analysis of six German acute-care hospitals and six German rehabilitation hospitals, the use of dabigatranetexilat was compared with the use of low-molecular-weight heparins.

Results: The analysis showed that the new drug led to an economic advantage for an acute-care hospital of 2.43 euro per patient per day. In a rehabilitation hospital, the use of dabigatranetexilat led to an economic advantage of 1.40 euro per patient per day.

Conclusion: These results have direct implications for drug decisions in hospitals. To demonstrate that fact, the price difference between dabigatranetexilat and low-molecular-weight heparins was derived to lead exactly to their"economic neutrality" from the hospital's point of view.