Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Health Information Management 1735-7853 13 2 2016 06 21 Comparison of Increase in Medication Costs and Medication Funding Per Capita of ‎the ‎Outpatients Insured by the Iranian Salamat Insurance in Isfahan, Iran‎ Comparison of Increase in Medication Costs and Medication Funding Per Capita of ‎the ‎Outpatients Insured by the Iranian Salamat Insurance in Isfahan, Iran‎ 132 137 11505 FA Hosseinali Ghasemi MSc, Drug Supervision, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza Branch, Isfahan, Iran‎ Mahdieh Raeeszadeh Assistant Professor, Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary ‎Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj ‎Branch, Sanandaj, Iran ‎ Journal Article 2015 05 27 Introduction: Medication and its cost in the country's health care system are of grave importance. Thus, the ‎aim of this study was to investigate the increase in medication costs in comparison to the ‎increase in medication funding per capita of the outpatients insured by the Iranian Salamat ‎Insurance in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytic study. The data were collected using an information form ‎including the variables of pharmaceutical expenditure, pharmaceutical expenditure per capita, ‎the number of insured per city, approved cost per capita, operating cost per capita, the number ‎of pharmacies, expensive drugs, drugs with the highest rate per capita, and drugs with the ‎highest frequency of use. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the ‎Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: From 2009 to 2013, the drug costs constituted, respectively, 25, 23, 22, 22, and 31 percent ‎of the total health care costs of the Iranian Salamat Insurance. Amount per capita in 2013 ‎compared to years 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 were 58, 49, 28, and 21 percent higher, ‎respectively. Drug operating cost and its growth rate had increased during the studied 5 ‎years, compared to the approved costs per capita. More than half of the total drug cost in ‎‎2009-2013 was allocated to the 35 most expensive drugs. The Pearson correlation showed ‎that with increase in operating cost, the number of visits to pharmacies decreased. Conclusion: Revision of drug reimbursement, substitution of lower-cost drugs, and modification of the ‎prescription pattern used by physicians can be effective in the optimization of drug costs. Introduction: Medication and its cost in the country's health care system are of grave importance. Thus, the ‎aim of this study was to investigate the increase in medication costs in comparison to the ‎increase in medication funding per capita of the outpatients insured by the Iranian Salamat ‎Insurance in Isfahan, Iran. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytic study. The data were collected using an information form ‎including the variables of pharmaceutical expenditure, pharmaceutical expenditure per capita, ‎the number of insured per city, approved cost per capita, operating cost per capita, the number ‎of pharmacies, expensive drugs, drugs with the highest rate per capita, and drugs with the ‎highest frequency of use. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the ‎Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: From 2009 to 2013, the drug costs constituted, respectively, 25, 23, 22, 22, and 31 percent ‎of the total health care costs of the Iranian Salamat Insurance. Amount per capita in 2013 ‎compared to years 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 were 58, 49, 28, and 21 percent higher, ‎respectively. Drug operating cost and its growth rate had increased during the studied 5 ‎years, compared to the approved costs per capita. More than half of the total drug cost in ‎‎2009-2013 was allocated to the 35 most expensive drugs. The Pearson correlation showed ‎that with increase in operating cost, the number of visits to pharmacies decreased. Conclusion: Revision of drug reimbursement, substitution of lower-cost drugs, and modification of the ‎prescription pattern used by physicians can be effective in the optimization of drug costs. https://him.mui.ac.ir/article_11505_d8d855c465198499868fb2b566ebee8d.pdf