I doubt this is a novel concept, but it pains me to see hundreds of dollars unnecessarily charged to patients because of provider lack of awareness on the costs of medications.

The proposal is to have a small parenthetical (charge-to-patient) amount listed within the Apex medication orders.  While I do understand the markup between charge-to-hospital to charge-to-patient is signficant, in this era of bundled care, it is time to be transparent about these costs and consider this as a fourth, fifith, sixth consideration in choosing a particular drug.  Cost of course, should not be the primary reason to choose a drug.  

I do understand that this cost may not be imposed on the particular patient, and may be "picked up" by the insurer, but the entire system is impacted by higher cost drugs even if the direct impact is nil.  

For example, IV acetaminophen cost-to-patient is $150 while oral acetaminophen is a few pennies.  As the Director of the Acute Pain Service, I periodically see IV APAP unnecessarily adminsitered when PO APAP could be.  Another example: aprepitant. A single dose costs >$850 to a patient without their knowledge.  These drugs have signficant utility, but could be used more judiciously.  

Might this lead to desensitization to these costs?  Maybe-- but often when I relay this type of information to individuals, their awareness for such costs increases, and their behavior adapts.  

Transparent is the new black.  

-Ramo