2014 Volume 15 Issue 4 Pages 165-168
Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the importance of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) at acute care hospitals using Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data.
Methods: We used DPC data from about 3,500,000 inpatients at about 950 acute care hospitals. The investigation period was from July 2010 to December 2010. Patients were divided into 2 groups: TDM intervention (n=22,012); and non-TDM intervention (n=26,400). We compared the clinical indicators (length of hospital stay, payment based on performance and drug costs) and use of antimicrobials.
Results: TDM intervention was carried out in 45.5% patients for whom an anti-MRSA agent was prescribed. The duration of anti-MRSA agent administration was significantly longer in the TDM intervention group than in the non-TDM intervention group. The total daily cost of anti-MRSA agents was significantly lower in the TDM intervention group than in the non-TDM intervention group.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that TDM intervention is often performed for seriously ill patients who require continuous treatment. TDM intervention may prevent adverse reactions as a result of adjusting the dosage of the anti-MRSA agent.