Hospitals' outpatient drug expenditure per admission grew 28.7 percent between 2015 and 2017, according to a study commissioned by the American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Anesthesia Business Consultants President and CEO Tony Mira reviewed the results and shared takeaways for anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists. These are the four drugs with the highest unit price increases (among drugs with total spending of more than $1 million in 2017):
1. Hydromorphone: 107 percent
2. Succinylcholine: 54 percent
3. Brevibloc: 53 percent
4. Dextrose: 52 percent
"The AHA and the ASA have submitted legislative, regulatory and best practice recommendations to the FDA to address drug shortages and drug pricing," Mr. Mira said.