Patient access to affordable pharmaceuticals is vital to improving care outcomes, managing chronic illness, and keeping healthcare costs down. It is vital that patients understand the necessity of taking medications as prescribed and remain invested in their own care. Pharmacists are increasingly being drawn into discussions of patient engagement, as they are likely see patients more often than providers in the course of refilling prescription medications.
We compiled a list of the top 25 hospitals by total pharmacy costs. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center reported the highest pharmacy costs at over $754 million. The hospital saw spending growth of 80.6 percent from 2016 to 2017, and a growth of 68.8 percent from 2014 to 2017. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center came in second for pharmacy spending at $630 million.
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| Hospital Name | Pharmacy Costs | Net Patient Revenue | Total Discharges | Explore This Dataset | |
| 1. | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (NY) | $754,794,624 | $2,922,980,827 | 23,561 | Explore This Profile |
| 2. | University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (TX) | $630,575,620 | $3,480,505,919 | 28,962 | Explore This Profile |
| 3. | Dana Farber Cancer Institute (MA) | $457,418,299 | $1,130,077,403 | 1,304 | Explore This Profile |
| 4. | Duke University Hospital (NC) | $332,798,924 | $2,339,265,283 | 42,469 | Explore This Profile |
| 5. | University of Kansas Hospital (KA) | $328,490,947 | $1,975,125,402 | 39,595 | Explore This Profile |
| 6. | Strong Memorial Hospital (NY) | $309,712,416 | $1,936,245,333 | 38,683 | Explore This Profile |
| 7. | NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at Weill Cornell Medical Center (NY) | $295,884,010 | $5,340,902,266 | 102,910 | Explore This Profile |
| 8. | University of Miami Hospital and Clinics - Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (FL) | $265,801,951 | $1,268,260,646 | 11,599 | Explore This Profile |
| 9. | UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights (CA) | $255,135,589 | $3,620,962,130 | 35,476 | Explore This Profile |
| 10. | James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OH) | $252,979,503 | $1,406,725,017 | 14,969 | Explore This Profile |
| 11. | UK Albert B Chandler Hospital (KY) | $244,157,038 | $1,433,168,657 | 40,909 | Explore This Profile |
| 12. | Moffitt Cancer Center (FL) | $240,061,344 | $983,129,857 | 9,085 | Explore This Profile |
| 13. | Northwestern Memorial Hospital (IL) | $227,559,304 | $1,745,967,766 | 45,506 | Explore This Profile |
| 14. | City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital (CA) | $225,572,554 | $1,116,914,068 | 6,595 | Explore This Profile |
| 15. | UC San Diego Medical Center - Hillcrest (CA) | $225,558,973 | $1,842,794,494 | 30,647 | Explore This Profile |
| 16. | Montefiore Hospital - Moses Campus (NY) | $215,655,244 | $2,728,344,000 | 86,865 | Explore This Profile |
| 17. | UMass Memorial Medical Center (MA) | $215,404,032 | $1,442,649,404 | 36,560 | Explore This Profile |
| 18. | Hackensack University Medical Center (NJ) | $210,911,917 | $1,567,145,753 | 35,198 | Explore This Profile |
| 19. | Parkland Health and Hospital System (TX) | $209,559,272 | $803,598,250 | 51,475 | Explore This Profile |
| 20. | The Johns Hopkins Hospital (MD) | $202,050,960 | $2,041,319,447 | 45,086 | Explore This Profile |
| 21. | The University of Chicago Medical Center (IL) | $196,988,322 | $1,683,367,000 | 30,898 | Explore This Profile |
| 22. | AdventHealth Orlando (FL) | $196,189,639 | $3,432,794,596 | 127,401 | Explore This Profile |
| 23. | Brigham and Womens Hospital (MA) | $194,598,657 | $2,257,366,198 | 41,881 | Explore This Profile |
| 24. | University Hospital (WI) | $187,802,795 | $1,861,601,000 | 31,130 | Explore This Profile |
| 25. | University of Maryland Medical Center (MA) | $182,182,582 | $1,460,597,672 | 27,599 | Explore This Profile |
Fig 1. Data from Definitive Healthcare based on Medicare Cost Report, covering data until Dec. 31, 2017. Pharmacy spend includes cost of drugs and pharmacy supplies requested by patient care departments as well as drugs charged to patients.