Payment for Providing Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Dispensing under the National Health Security Scheme: A case study of Sombunpharmacy Contracted to Maha Chai Community Caring Clinic Nakhon Ratchasima-ค่าตอบแทนการบริหารเวชภัณฑ์และการจ่ายยาตามใบสั่งยาภายใต้หลักประกันสุขภาพแห่งชาติ: กรณีศึกษาร้านสมบุญเภสัชกรและคลินิกชุมชนอบอุ่นมหาชัย นครราชสีมา

Abstract

            Community caring clinic at Maha Chai community in Nakhon Ratchasima let a community pharmacy to provide pharmacy administration and dispensing for them. This retrospective study was aimed to determine the cost of pharmacy services of the community pharmacy connected to the clinic as well as to analyze the rate of payment for the services to clinic in pharmacyีs aspect and in clinicีs aspect during 1 January 31 December 2005. Data from clinic and pharmacy as well as from documentary study was used to calculate pharmacy service cost by activity based costing technique. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics.

             The results showed that the costs of pharmacy services for each medicine dispensed by the clinic were: a) 26.78 baht based on an experienced pharmacist, b) 23.80 baht based on a pharmacist of the connected pharmacy and c) 22.77 baht based on an in-experienced pharmacist. The study showed that cost saving resulting from collaborating service with community pharmacy was attractive. It should be borne in mind that the payment mechanism and system had to be fair, efficient and providing an incentive for services improvement. This study also supported the priory estimated figures that dispensing fee should be 25 baht per prescription (1-3 drug items), 30 baht per prescription (>3 drug items) and administration fee should be 20 percent of the medicine cost.

Key words:      payment to pharmacy services, National Health Security Scheme, payment for pharmacy administration, dispensing fee.