Table 1. Direct monetary cost savings.
| a) Direct monetary costs associated with avoided port-a-cath surgeries | |
| Number of newly diagnosed EBC patients (i.e. do not receive port-a-caths) | 178 |
| Cost per port-a-cath implantation used for both chemo and IV administrations (EUR) | 2,782 |
| Cost per PICC line used for joint chemo administrations in SC setting (EUR) | 428 |
| Incremental cost savings per newly diagnosed patient (EUR) | 2,354 |
| Total direct monetary cost savings from avoided surgeries to implant port-a-caths (EUR) | 419,012 |
| b) Direct monetary costs associated with pharmacy | |
| Total number of SC administrations | 2,769 |
| Cost per IV reconstitution order at pharmacy (EUR) | 60 |
| Savings on regular reconstitution fees (EUR) | 167,087 |
| Total direct monetary cost savings on pharmacy fees for the reconstitution of IV (EUR) | 167,087 |
| c) Direct monetary costs associated with materials for reconstitution and administrations | |
| Total number of SC administrations | 2,769 |
| Material cost per IV administration at ward (EUR) | 7.0 |
| Cost of infusion needle (EUR) | 6.3 |
| Cost of bandage (EUR) | 0.3 |
| Cost of 3-way-perfusor (EUR) | 0.4 |
| Material cost per SC reconstitution and administrations at ward (EUR) | 0.72 |
| Cost of loading needle (EUR) | 0.03 |
| Cost of injection needle (EUR) | 0.64 |
| Cost of syringe (EUR) | 0.05 |
| Incremental cost savings of IV versus SC per administration (EUR) | 6.28 |
| Total material cost for IV administration at ward (EUR) | 19,383 |
| Total material cost for SC administration at ward (EUR) | 1,994 |
| Total direct monetary cost savings on materials for SC reconstitution and administrations (EUR) | 17,389 |
| Total direct monetary cost savings | |
| a) Avoided port-a-cath surgeries (EUR) | 419,012 |
| b) Avoided fees for reconstitution at pharmacy (EUR) | 167,087 |
| c) Materials for reconstitution and administrations (EUR) | 17,389 |
| Total direct monetary cost savings (EUR) | 603,488 |
Direct monetary cost savings in Euros (EUR) on materials, administration, patient preparation and pharmacy fees on subcutaneous (SC) trastuzumab (Herceptin) administration compared to intravenous (IV) trastuzumab (Herceptin) infusion during 2015.