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A. Gerson Hollander, MD
Veterans Administration Medical Center Roseburg, Ore

JAMA. 1980;243(2):121.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The article, "Therapeutic Use of Albumin," by Alexander et al (241:2527, 1979), emphasizes the need to control cost by physician education. The authors are to be complimented for the thoroughly detailed method they used. However, their study required a considerable investment of time and personnel before effecting a saving.

I would like to share the method I used as chief of staff at the Boston Veterans Administration Hospital many years ago when faced with a similar situation.

The wards were requesting serum albumin on a pharmacy order form. These ampules were then dispensed by physician order. The drug bill for the hospital was increasing by $25,000 a month before it was brought to my attention. A program was initiated immediately whereby the physician wrote a prescription for the individual patient, stating the diagnosis and the number of ampules required. This prescription had to be countersigned by the . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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