Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of the management of uncomplicated urinary tract infection by community pharmacists.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common infections treated in primary care and the emergency department. The ROUTMAP study demonstrated that management of uncomplicated UTI by community pharmacists resulted in high clinical cure rates similar to those reported in the literature and a high degree of patient satisfaction. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of community pharmacist-initiated compared to family or emergency physician-initiated management of uncomplicated UTI.

Methods: A decision analytic model was used to compare costs and outcomes of community pharmacist-initiated management of uncomplicated UTI to family or emergency physician-initiated management. Cure rates and utilities were derived from published studies. Costs of antibiotic treatment and health services use were calculated based on cost data from Canada. We used a probabilistic analysis to evaluate the impact of treatment strategies on costs and quality-adjusted-life-months (QALMs). In addition, a budget impact analysis was conducted to evaluate the financial impact of community pharmacist-initiated uncomplicated UTI management in this target population. This study was conducted from the perspective of the public health care system of Canada.

Results: Pharmacist-initiated management was lower cost ($72.47) when compared to family and emergency physician-initiated management, $141.53 and $368.16, respectively. The QALMs gained were comparable across the management strategies. If even only 25% of Canadians with uncomplicated UTI were managed by community pharmacists over the next 5 years, the resulting net total savings was estimated at $51 million.

Conclusion: From a Canadian public health care system perspective, community pharmacist-initiated management would likely be a cost-effective strategy for uncomplicated UTI. In an era of limited health care resources, expanded roles of community pharmacists or other non-physician community based prescribers are important mechanisms through which accessible, high-quality and cost-effective care may be achieved. Further studies to evaluate other conditions which can be managed in the community and their cost effectiveness are essential.