Table 1 Parameters used to compare the impact of SC vs IV rituximab or trastuzumab administration

1. Increase treatment administration at the cancer treatment unit due to IV to SC conversion, n (%)

Based on the total time saved with SC and the average time of administration of any drug.

● Total time saved with SC = (Difference in time spent in cancer treatment unit with IV vs SC administration) × (number of patients treated with IV and SC trastuzumab or rituximab) × (no. of visits for IV or SC treatment)

● Average time of administration of any drug [IV and SC trastuzumab, rituximab or other treatment] = based on opening hours, number of positions and volume of daily treatments

2. Increase in treatment administration due to rituximab premedication being administered in waiting room, n (%)

Based on the total time saved in the administration chair and the average time of administration of any drug.

● Total time saved = (Time spent in cancer treatment unit for administration of IV rituximab premedication) × (number of patients treated with rituximab in maintenance) × (no. of visits for rituximab administration)

● Average time of administration of any drug [IV and SC trastuzumab, rituximab or other treatment] = based on opening hours, number of positions and volume of daily treatments

3. Increase in treatments that can be prepared and administered at the reference hospital because patients receiving SC can be treated at hospitals closer to their homes, n (%)

Increase in the number of treatments that can be prepared (based on the total time saved and the average time of preparation of any drug):

● Total time saved with transfer of SC treatment preparation to regional hospital = (Difference in pharmacy preparation time with IV vs SC formulations) × (no. of doses prepared by the regional hospital)

● Average time of preparation of any drug [IV and SC trastuzumab, rituximab or other treatment] = based on opening hours, number of vertical laminar flow hoods and volume of daily treatment preparations

Increase in the number of treatments that can be administered (based on the total time saved and the average time of administration of any drug):

● Total time saved by cancer treatment unit with transfer of SC treatment to regional hospital = (Difference in time spent in cancer treatment unit with IV vs SC administration) × (no. of patients referred to regional hospital for treatment) × (no. of visits for IV or SC treatment)

● Average time of administration of any drug [IV and SC trastuzumab, rituximab or other treatment] = based on opening hours, number of positions and volume of daily treatments

4. Increase in treatments that can be prepared in the vertical laminar flow hood at the hospital pharmacy, n (%)

Based on the total time saved due to the reduction in preparation times with SC or since SC formulation can be prepared at the cancer treatment unit and the average time of preparation of any drug.

● Time saved in the hospital pharmacy = (Difference in time spent preparing IV formulation in the vertical laminar flow hood vs preparing SC doses) × (no. of doses prepared)

● Average time of preparation of any drug [IV and SC trastuzumab, rituximab or other treatment] = based on opening hours, number of vertical laminar flow hoods and volume of daily treatment preparations

1. Reduction in time spent in hospital (SC vs IV), minutes

● Reduction in time spent in hospital = [(Average medical consultation time for IV treatment) – (average medical consultation time for SC treatment)] + [(average wait time to receive IV treatment) – (average wait time to receive SC treatment)] + [(average time spent in the cancer treatment unit with IV administration) – (average time spent in the cancer treatment unit with SC administration)]

2. Improvement in caregiver’s and/or patient’s work productivity, € (%)

● Improvement in labor productivity (assessed by economic- and time-related measures) = (Reduction in time spent in hospital [from row above]) × (average cost of professional per minute [estimated at 0.205464 €/min])^a

3. Reduction in the use rate and time of venous access devices with reservoirs, n (%)

● (No. of patients requiring a venous access device with a reservoir [port a cath] during IV maintenance treatment) – (no. of patients carrying a venous access device [PICC] during SC maintenance treatment)

● Reduction in time using a venous access device, as PICC requires less time than port-a-cath