Angels for Change, a volunteer-supported organization on a mission to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness, and a resilient supply chain, has just published findings from a multi-phase research program they funded. Its primary goal was to better understand and then quantify the impact of “patient harm” caused by drug shortages, and to determine when and where “patient harm” is considered in the supply chain. (Patient Harm is defined as a decline in the patient’s condition that is not caused by the underlying disease.)
Since its founding, Angels for Change has helped patients, mostly children and their caregivers, obtain access to hundreds of courses of life-saving drugs that they had been told would not be available due to a drug shortage.
“Having a pool of families to contact provided a unique opportunity to better understand the perspective and needs of patients and family members who have been directly affected by drug shortages.” said Laura Bray, Founder and Chief Change Maker, Angels for Change. “Starting with the patient perspective makes this survey a first of its kind.”
Feedback from all surveyed stakeholders – patients, parents, oncologists, pharmacists, purchasing leader, executives, and health system leaders – confirms that drug shortages have a significant negative impact on patient care / outcomes, hospital workflows and care efficiency, patient experience and satisfaction, patient out-of-pocket costs, relationships between the care team and patients, and staff morale.
Learnings were leveraged to develop and refine a comprehensive double-blinded survey fielded to a robust sample of hospital- based oncologists, pharmacists, executives, and purchasing leaders to quantify the impact of drug shortages in the U.S.
INSIGHTS
This program showed that drug shortages occur so frequently that they have a significant impact on hospital workflows, patient care, and staff morale. In fact, most hospitals have teams of pharmacists and procurement professionals dedicated to minimizing the impact of drug shortages.
In addition, Physicians desire more guidance and better resources to help communicate drug shortages to patients and families. Oncologists indicate they would like new and better resources to help explain shortages.
There is a clear opportunity to improve communication and coordination of hospitals’ drug shortage mitigation policies, since most hospitals have a drug shortage mitigation policy, but these are often not communicated to clinicians.
MORE RESULTS
· 90%+ of Oncologists report drug shortages have had a negative impact on patient outcomes
· 90%+ of Oncologists report drug shortages result in delays in patient care
· 90%+ of Oncologists believe drug shortages have a negative impact on patient satisfaction / experience
· 85%+ of Oncologists report drug shortages have had a negative impact on overall survival (OS)
· 85%+ of Pharmacists and Oncologists report drug shortages result in higher costs for patients
· 80%+ of Executives report drug shortages negatively affect the finances of their hospitals / health system
· 80%+ of Oncologists, Pharmacists, and Executives report drug shortages have a negative impact on staff and clinician morale / work satisfaction
· 75%+ of Oncologists report drug shortages have directly resulted in “patient harm”
· 75%+ of Oncologists report drug shortages negatively affect relationships and trust with patients / families
IMPLICATIONS
This research reinforces the need to acknowledge and address the direct and damaging impact that drug shortages have on patient outcomes, care efficiency, costs of care, patient satisfaction, relationships and trust, and physician and staff morale.
CALL TO ACTION
Angels for Change advocates for improved communication and coordination of policies and procedures, providing more guidance and better resources to support clinicians when communicating drug shortages, their implications, and potential next steps to patients and families. And proposes consolidating resources and support for patients and families who often feel they have nowhere to turn when faced with a drug shortage.
Read the full research article here.
ABOUT ANGELS FOR CHANGE
Angels for Change is a volunteer-supported organization on a mission to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness, and a more resilient supply chain. Founder Laura Bray, a business professor and consultant, established Angels for Change after her own daughter’s Leukemia treatment was disrupted by a drug shortage.
Laura believes lifesaving medicines must be in supply and available at the right place and right time, ensuring access to patients. Angels for Change works with healthcare leaders to help end health crises created by drug shortages.
angelsforchange.org
ABOUT 4C RESEARCH
4C Research is a leading healthcare consultancy delivering responsive, insight-driven primary market research to
enable stakeholders to make more informed, timely business decisions with confidence.
The lead analyst for this program, Graeme Christianson,
has been working with global pharmaceutical, medical technology, and diagnostics companies for over 20 years, helping them to translate primary research insights into action.
4c-research.com
Email communications@angelsforchange.org to receive more details about this research program and findings.