Preparation of Royal Thai Air Force Hospitals towards the Generic Drug Pricing Policy for Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme

Abstract

The objective of this was to conduct a survey on the preparation among hospitals under the Royal Thai Air Force in response to the generic drug pricing policy for Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme in Thailand. Data were collected for the fiscal years 2013 and 2014 by using a mailed questionnaire survey sent to all 15 hospitals of the Air Force for quantitative variables; and qualitative variables through in-depth interview with hospital director and a member of pharmacy and therapeutic committee (PTC) of each hospital. All hospitals filled the questionnaire survey while 9 hospital directors and 15 PTC members completed the interviews. It was found that all hospitals were aware of the policy; 13 hospitals were preparing for the revision of the hospital drug list (86.7%). Eleven hospitals set the proportion between essential drugs (ED) and non-essential drugs (NED) to 80:20 (73.2%). There was modification of drug price for generic drugs (26.2% of drug items), and reduction of non-essential drugs from the hospital drug list (18.7% of drug items). The study results showed that the Royal Thai Air Force hospitals had been well prepared toward generic drug pricing policy; and were ready to implement the policy by the hosptal pharmacy and therapeutic committee.