Abstract:

Dr. Sabine Vogler, PHIS Project Manager; Mag. (FH) Nina Zimmermann, MA , PHIS Team Member; both Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG) / Austrian Health Institute, Health Economics Department / WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies, Vienna, Austria

Across Europe, hospitals use different purchasing strategies for procuring medicines (e.g. tendering, direct negotiations; individual procurement, joint purchasing by hospital groups or central tendering). Systematic knowledge about the different models applied has, however, been rather limited. In particular, actual hospital prices of medicines are mostly not published. The EU-funded PHIS (Pharmaceutical Health Information System) project has addressed this gap by realising a survey on purchasing strategies and pharmaceutical prices in European hospitals; at the seminar results of the PHIS survey will be presented. The first speaker will provide an overview of purchasing strategies and financing models for medicines in hospitals in 27 European countries. The second speaker will present the results of a price survey for selected medicines in 25 hospitals in five countries, analysing differences between hospitals in a country and across countries, between therapeutic groups and in comparison to the out-patient sector.

Teaching Goals:

• Present the major outcomes of the PHIS Hospital Pharma report
• Share the different concepts for procurement and reimbursement of medicines in hospitals in European countries
• Train participants in a clear terminology for pharmaceutical policies (presentation of a glossary)
• Present indicators for describing and analysing pharmaceutical policies in the in-patient sector
• Communicate the methodology and results of pharmaceutical price surveys in hospitals
• Present good-practice examples for interface management

Learning Objectives: The seminar is aimed at equipping the audience to:

• understand the purchasing policies and funding strategies in their own hospital in the context of different models across Europe
• understand the reasons for price differences among hospitals, countries and compared to the out-patient sector
• have a tool at hand for undertaking their own price survey and analysis in their hospitals
• get a better understanding of the pharmaceutical system from a global perspective. We hope to motivate the delegates for improved co-operation with authorities and actors in the out-patient sector.