Five years after a Vizient and Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) report detailed the detrimental effects of drug shortages on children’s hospitals, a new survey reveals what has changed.
Responses from nearly 150 health care facilities show that drug shortages continue to significantly strain hospital budgets and staffing, ultimately impacting patient care.
Some key findings from the report include:
- More than three quarters of pediatric facilities said they exceeded their budgets due to drug shortages, some by up to 30%.
- Nearly 50% of essential pediatric medications were in shortage in 2023. Those include drugs for cancer, anesthesia, and antibiotics.
- Compared to 2019, pediatric pharmacy staff and purchasing agents spent twice as much time managing shortages in a week, up to 25 hours.
- Drug shortages resulted in $900 million in financial implications in 2023.
Drug shortages continue to disproportionally affect children’s hospitals, which faced at least 25% more shortages than general facilities. They faced shortages of more drugs and had higher expenses related to managing shortages.
Explore the report to learn how drug shortages affect children’s hospitals.
