Overcoming hurdles: measurement of health-related outcomes associated with national level medicines usage in Ireland

Gary L O’Brien BPharm, MPharm, Muireann McAlister BSc Pharmacy, Stephen Byrne BSc Pharmacy, PhD, James Gallagher BPharm, MPharm, PhD

Abstract

Public discourse on medicine provision predominantly focuses on overall expenditure. However, current literature suggests measurement of alternative indicators can provide a method to benchmark or ameliorate medicine provision. Previous research has investigated the viability of using health-related outcome metrics, such as the number of patients treated, quality-adjusted life-year gain and life-year gain, to provide macro-level estimates on medicines’ societal contributions. This editorial provides an overview of the evolving healthcare landscape surrounding medicine usage estimation and valuation in Ireland and offers recommendations on how improved methods of measuring health-related outcomes may help ameliorate efficiencies and the sustainability of a healthcare system.

Article Details

Article Type

Editorial

DOI

10.7573/dic.2020-4-2

Publication Dates

Accepted: ; Published: .

Citation

O’Brien GL, McAlister M, Byrne S, Gallagher J. Overcoming hurdles: measurement of health-related outcomes associated with national level medicines usage in Ireland. Drugs in Context 2020; 9: 2020-4-2. DOI: 10.7573/dic.2020-4-2

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