Pharmacist interventions in geriatric oncology patients have been shown to significantly improve patient outcomes by optimising drug therapy and preventing drug-related problems. A wide range of pharmacist-led interventions have been developed such as medication review, medication reconciliation, deprescribing recommendations, and patient education which demonstrate substantial success in enhancing the quality of life of older patients living with cancer. While the clinical value of these interventions is well documented, their economic impact remains insufficiently quantified. Despite substantial research on patient-focussed outcomes, there is a notable gap in evidence evaluating the cost-effectiveness and broader economic implication of pharmacist-led medication optimisation in outpatient geriatric oncology settings.
Understanding this economic impact is essential to supporting sustainable implementation, guiding resource allocation and strengthening the case for more permanent integration of pharmacists within multidisciplinary geriatric oncology care teams. Herledan et al. demonstrated the economic viability of pharmacist interventions in the acute hospital setting by targeting drug related problems at admission and at discharge. The benefit in ambulatory patients attending the outpatient clinic is yet undetermined.
Geriatric patients frequently present complex clinical cases due to the high prevalence of polypharmacy, and this complexity is further amplified among geriatric oncology populations. In this context, the role and impact of pharmacist interventions becomes even more critical to ensuring safe, effective medication management.
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the economic value of pharmacist led interventions in outpatient geriatric oncology settings by comparing the cost of pharmacists’ time spent conducting comprehensive medication reviews and implementing clinical recommendations with the projected costs of avoidable hospital readmissions related to adverse drug events, This study aims to provide robust economic evidence to support pharmacist involvement in geriatric oncology care and contribute to the development of cost effective, patient-centred cancer treatment guidelines.