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“Don’t forget to take your medicine!” Improving the use of medecine by elderly patients in the region of Madrid

Costs and savings

Before the implementation of the programme in 2006 a cost-benefit analysis was carried out. The model was based on the initial target group of the programme (elderly residents aged 75 years or above who use more than 6 different medications on a regular basis) and focussed on the following direct benefits of the programme:

  • reduction of duplication of medication;
  • reduction of adverse reactions to medication.

The estimation of benefits did not include other variables such as the reduction of unnessary medication and the improvement of medical treatment plans as no reliable data of these variables existed.

The model included the following costs:

  • costs for the time invested by professionals to co-produce personalised medication schemes for patients;
  • costs for the training of professionals;
  • costs for the awareness campaign and drafting of support material for the programme.

The results of the cost-benefit analysis are summarised in the table below.

Table 1: Costs and benefits of the programme

About this case study
Main Contact

Encarnación Cruz Martos
Subdirectora de C. de Farmacia y P.S.
D.G. de Gestión Económica y de Compras de Productos Sanitarios y Farmacéuticos
Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Consejería de Sanidad

Email: encarna.cruz@salud.madrid.org

Phone: 00 34 91 426 9917/9902


Fernando Gil and Salvador Parrado wrote this case study for Governance International on 28 August 2012.

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