High Cost Medications

Specialties LTC Directors

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Do you all have a cap on spending for medications? We screen everyone coming in and usually say no to anyone on high cost Lovenox or high cost Zyvox....a 14 day course is about $4000. What SNF can afford that cost for one resident for 2 weeks of meds?

Do you all have a cap on spending for medications? We screen everyone coming in and usually say no to anyone on high cost Lovenox or high cost Zyvox....a 14 day course is about $4000. What SNF can afford that cost for one resident for 2 weeks of meds?
My experience, the average was $45/day, up to maybe $60 (with corporate- level OK) with IV meds (if the IV supplies are obtained through central supply, versus the pharmacy), based on projected RUG (with rehab being involved heavily) after the 5 day. And yes- OTC meds were included in the total. Claritin, Prevacid, and the other 500 OTC meds the SNF pays for- $15 a day or so, easy.

You left off the last word.....

As I sit here shaking my head as in "Come AGAIN?", I just recalled a quote from W.C. Fields: "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull." :)

Begins with "C", 4 letters? SHIRT?? Forgot to insert that if the patient was already living LTR in the SNF, and she was wanted back (because she's a 'peach'), then she wouldn't be costed out even if her MED-A stay would probably be a $ loser. After all, a LTC 'peach' is good to find, too!

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

The doctors here are far from inept. The ones ordering the zyvox are ID specialists.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
You left off the last word...

OK. Thought I was the only one that noticed. :)

:roflmao:
OK. Thought I was the only one that noticed. :)
Specializes in LTC, Education, Management, QAPI.

I'm really glad you mentioned housekeeping. I'm a DON in LTC, we make it a huge point to make sure our housekeeping staff know how great they are. We *never* cut housekeeping. Unfortunately, we riff our CNA's.. We keep no more than 1:10 days, 1:12 eve, 1:20 nights and adjust to our census. You're right on the money though, times is tough!

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