D Zahnd

Publications (2)10.17 Total impact

• Article: Implementation of the JACIE standards for a haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation programme: a cost analysis.

  D Zahnd, K Leibundgut, R Zenhäusern, T Pabst, S Fontana, R Schneider, A Tobler, C Zwicky
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  ABSTRACT: The purpose of the present project was to analyse the costs incurred by the implementation of JACIE standards at a University Hospital with 1000 beds, performing some 40 autologous transplants per year. The cost analysis was performed on the basis of a prospective assessment of the time spent by all staff members involved with the implementation over a 14-month period of the quality management system (QMS) required by the JACIE standards. Two physicians worked on JACIE Section A (management=82 h), one physician and two nurses for section Ba (clinical unit adults=125.75 h), two physicians and three nurses for section Bp (clinical unit paediatrics=206 h), one physician, two nurses and one technician for section C (progenitor cell collection facility=105.75 h), and one physician and two technicians for section D (progenitor cell processing facility=426 h). The total time spent on the project amounted to 945.5 h with a total salary cost of \[euro]150 000. We concluded that implementation of the JACIE standards was accomplished within a 14-month period with a financial impact of approximately \[euro]150 000. The impact on quality parameters (eg clinical and laboratory end points, side effects) on HPC transplantation will be assessed in a second report after the first year of practical implementation.
  Bone Marrow Transplantation 12/2004; 34(10):847-53. · 3.75 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: oxfordjournals.org

  Article: A randomized crossover trial assessing patient preference for two different types of portable infusion-pump devices.

  D Zahnd, S Aebi, S Rusterholz, M F Fey, M M Borner
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  ABSTRACT: A variety of anticancer agents are better tolerated and more effective if given as continuous compared to bolus administration. Portable pump devices are needed to allow outpatient continuous infusion. Different types of portable pumps are available and we tested patient preference in a randomized crossover design. Patients on continuous infusion fluorouracil were randomly assigned to start treatment with an elastomeric infusor (Baxter) or a mechanical, electronically controlled pump (CADD-1, Pharmacia) and crossed over to the alternative model after three weeks. After exposure to both pump types patients were asked to indicate their preferred device. After 10 patients the study was closed because all study participants preferred the elastomeric pump (P < 0.01). Reasons were pump weight (100%), smaller pump size (89%), interference with daily activities (89%), user friendliness (56%), impact on sleep (44%), and lack of technical problems (22%). Although the mechanical pump required more handling time for the first two refillings, the learning curve suggested about equal time requirement thereafter. In the interest of patient comfort, the disposable elastomeric infusor is an acceptable alternative to the more accurate electronically controlled pumps especially for drugs with a short half-life and a favorable toxicity profile.
  Annals of Oncology 07/1999; 10(6):727-9. · 6.43 Impact Factor