Total parenteral nutrition solution preparation utilizing amino acid sources with and without pre-added electrolytes: a time and cost comparison.

A comparison study of the time and cost of preparation of total parenteral nutrition solutions using a crystalline amino acid source with pre-added electrolytes and an amino acid source without electrolytes is presented. Four pharmacists and 4 technicians each prepared 4 solutions, utilizing each of the two amino acid sources. Both time of preparation and time of checking were measured. Utilizing list prices as acquisition costs for ingredients and the average salary for pharmacists and technicians at Medical University Hospital to determine the labor ocst, the average cost of preparing each solution was determined. The results of this study demonstrated that a potential savings of 10.3% and 9.9% was possible for pharmacist-prepared and technician-prepared solutions, respectively, when amino acid solutions containing pre-added electrolytes are utilized. The authors concluded that the use of crystalline amino acid solutions with pre-added electrolytes could offer substantial savings of labor and money for the hospital pharmacy. These solutions could also represent a significant cost savings to home-prepared parenteral nutrition formulas.