Cataract surgery for falls prevention and improving vision: modelling the health gain, health system costs and cost-effectiveness in a high-income country

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 302-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Boyd ◽  
Giorgi Kvizhinadze ◽  
Adeline Kho ◽  
Graham Wilson ◽  
Nick Wilson

AimTo estimate the health gain, health system costs and cost-effectiveness of cataract surgery when expedited as a falls prevention strategy (reducing the waiting time for surgery by 12 months) and as a routine procedure.MethodsAn established injurious falls model designed for the New Zealand (NZ) population (aged 65+ years) was adapted. Key parameters relating to cataracts were sourced from the literature and the NZ Ministry of Health. A health system perspective with discounting at 3% was used.ResultsExpedited cataract surgery for 1 year of incident cases was found to generate a total 240 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 161 to 360) at net health system costs of NZ$2.43 million (95% UI 2.02 to 2.82 million) over the remaining lifetimes of the surgery group. This intervention was cost-effective by widely accepted standards with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of NZ$10 600 (US$7540) (95% UI NZ$6030 to NZ$15 700) per QALY gained. The level of cost-effectiveness did not vary greatly by sex, ethnicity and previous fall history, but was higher for the 65–69 age group compared with the oldest age group of 85–89 years (NZ$7000 vs NZ$14 200 per QALY gained). Comparing cataract surgery with no surgery, the ICER was even more favourable at NZ$4380 (95% UI 2410 to 7210) per QALY. Considering only the benefits for vision improvement and excluding the benefits of falls prevention, it was still favourable at NZ$9870 per QALY.ConclusionsExpedited cataract surgery appears very cost-effective. Routine cataract surgery is itself very cost-effective, and its value appears largely driven by the falls prevention benefits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 258-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eamonn Deverall ◽  
Giorgi Kvizhinadze ◽  
Frank Pega ◽  
Tony Blakely ◽  
Nick Wilson

BackgroundSome falls prevention interventions for the older population appear cost-effective, but there is uncertainty about others. Therefore, we aimed to model three types of exercise programme each running for 25 years among 65+ year olds: (i) a peer-led group-based one; (ii) a home-based one and (iii) a commercial one.MethodsAn established Markov model for studying falls prevention in New Zealand (NZ) was adapted to estimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in cost per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. Detailed NZ experimental, epidemiological and cost data were used for the base year 2011. A health system perspective was taken and a discount rate of 3% applied. Intervention effectiveness estimates came from a Cochrane Review.ResultsThe intervention generating the greatest health gain and costing the least was the home-based exercise programme intervention. Lifetime health gains were estimated at 47 100 QALYs (95%uncertainty interval (UI) 22 300 to 74 400). Cost-effectiveness was high (ICER: US$4640 per QALY gained; (95% UI US$996 to 10 500)), and probably more so than a home safety assessment and modification intervention using the same basic model (ICER: US$6060). The peer-led group-based exercise programme was estimated to generate 42 000 QALYs with an ICER of US$9490. The commercially provided group programme was more expensive and less cost-effective (ICER: US$34 500). Further analyses by sex, age group and ethnicity (Indigenous Māori and non-Māori) for the peer-led group-intervention showed similar health gains and cost-effectiveness.ConclusionsImplementing any of these three types of exercise programme for falls prevention in older people could produce considerable health gain, but with the home-based version being likely to be the most cost-effective.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Tasavon Gholamhoseini ◽  
Reza Goudarzi ◽  
Mahdiye Zarein ◽  
Mohammadreza Amiresmaili ◽  
Masoud Mehrpour

Abstract Background: Two approaches including stroke unit and routine treatment, are used to address stroke patients. Although stroke unit is a new intervention in Iran and its effectiveness has been proven, but there is little information on its costs. It is necessary to utilize the results of the studies of economic evaluation in order to choose the better treatment option between two alternatives. Due to the lack of studies in this field in Iran, the current study was conducted to assess the cost-effectiveness of stroke unit and routine treatment. Methods: A Markov model incorporating three health states of independent, dependent and death for a time horizon of 10 years with a 3-month cycle length was applied. Direct medical and non-medical costs, including pharmaceutical and hospital expenses, were calculated based on 2018 data from a health system perspective. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were taken as the outcome measure. The analysis of cost-effectiveness and sensitivity for uncertain parameters was carried out using TreeAge 2020. Results: The stroke unit had more costs and QALYs gain in comparison with routine treatment, and it was cost-effective with an ICER of 551 PPP dollars per QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that stroke unit cost-effectiveness probability is 78 percent, in the threshold of willingness to pay three times GDP per capita. Conclusion: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of stroke unit is far less than the threshold of willingness to pay, indicating the strategy is cost-effective. Therefore, implementing stroke unit in Iran health system leads to optimal use of resources.



Gerontology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 503-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belen Corbacho ◽  
Sarah Cockayne ◽  
Caroline Fairhurst ◽  
Catherine E. Hewitt ◽  
Kate Hicks ◽  
...  

Background: Falls are a major cause of morbidity among older people. Multifaceted interventions may be effective in preventing falls and related fractures. Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness alongside the REducing Falls with Orthoses and a Multifaceted podiatry intervention (REFORM) trial. Methods: REFORM was a pragmatic multicentre cohort randomised controlled trial in England and Ireland; 1,010 participants (> 65 years) were randomised to receive either a podiatry intervention (n = 493), including foot and ankle strengthening exercises, foot orthoses, new footwear if required, and a falls prevention leaflet, or usual podiatry treatment plus a falls prevention leaflet (n = 517). Primary outcome: incidence of falls per participant in the 12 months following randomisation. Secondary outcomes: proportion of fallers and quality of life (EQ-5D-3L) which was converted into quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for each participant. Differences in mean costs and QALYs at 12 months were used to assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention relative to usual care. Cost-effectiveness analyses were conducted in accordance with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence reference case standards, using a regression-based approach with costs expressed in GBP (2015 price). The base case analysis used an intention-to-treat approach on the imputed data set using multiple imputation. Results: There was a small, non-statistically significant reduction in the incidence rate of falls in the intervention group (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.73–1.05, p = 0.16). Participants allocated to the intervention group accumulated on average marginally higher QALYs than the usual care participants (mean difference 0.0129, 95% CI –0.0050 to 0.0314). The intervention costs were on average GBP 252 more per participant compared to the usual care participants (95% CI GBP –69 to GBP 589). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ranged between GBP 19,494 and GBP 20,593 per QALY gained, below the conventional National Health Service cost-effectiveness thresholds of GBP 20,000 to GBP 30,000 per additional QALY. The probability that the podiatry intervention is cost-effective at a threshold of GBP 30,000 per QALY gained was 0.65. The results were robust to sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: The benefits of the intervention justified the moderate cost. The intervention could be a cost-effective option for falls prevention when compared with usual care in the UK.



Author(s):  
Thinni Nurul Rochmah ◽  
Anggun Wulandari ◽  
Maznah Dahlui ◽  
Ernawaty ◽  
Ratna Dwi Wulandari

Cataracts are the second most prioritized eye disease in the world. Cataracts are an expensive treatment because surgery is the only method that can treat the disease. This study aims to analyze the cost effectiveness of each operating procedure. Specifically, phacoemulsification and Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS) with Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) as the effectiveness indicator is used. This study is an observational analytic study with a prospective framework. The sample size is 130 patients who have undergone phacoemulsification and 25 patients who have undergone SICS. The DALY for phacoemulsification at Day-7 (D-7) is 0.3204, and at Day-21 (D-21), it is 0.3204, while the DALY for SICS at D-7 is 0.3060, and at D-21, it is 0.3158. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) for cataract surgery at D-7 is USD $1872.49, and at D-21, it is USD $5861.71, whereas the Indonesian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is USD $4174.90. In conclusion, the phacoemulsification technique is more cost effective than the SICS technique. The ICER value is very cost effective at D-7 post-surgery compared to at D-21 post-surgery because the ICER is less than 1 GDP per capita per DALY.



2020 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2020-316507
Author(s):  
Alexandra Cernat ◽  
Margaret Jamieson ◽  
RuthAnne Kavelaars ◽  
Sina Khalili ◽  
Vishaal Bhambhwani ◽  
...  

Background/aimsChildren with bilateral cataracts may undergo immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS), which involves surgery on both eyes during the same general anaesthesia, or delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery (DSBCS), which involves operating on each eye on separate days and requires a second anaesthesia. ISBCS is viewed with caution because of the risk of bilateral endophthalmitis. Proponents of ISBCS emphasise that the incidence of serious complications is low and is outweighed by benefits such as avoidance of multiple anaesthesia, faster visual rehabilitation and potential for decreased costs. However, there is a paucity of literature regarding the cost-effectiveness of ISBCS in children. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine whether ISBCS is more cost-effective than DSBCS from the societal and health system perspectives in Ontario, Canada, which has a universal, single-payer system.MethodsA retrospective analysis of children who underwent ISBCS or DSBCS at a tertiary referral paediatric hospital was conducted. A decision tree was constructed using TreeAge Pro 2018 software. Clear visual axis was the measure of effectiveness. A time horizon of 8 weeks postoperatively was adopted. Both direct and indirect costs were included.ResultsFifty-three children were included, 37 in the ISBCS group and 16 in the DSBCS group. ISBCS and DSBCS were equally effective. ISBCS resulted in cost-savings of $3,776 (95% CI:−$4,641 to $12,578) CAD, per patient, from the societal perspective and $2,200 (95% CI:−$5,615 to $10,373) CAD per patient from the health system perspective.ConclusionISBCS was less costly than DSBCS from both societal and health system perspectives while being equally effective.



Neurosurgery ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared D. Ament ◽  
Zhuo Yang ◽  
Pierce Nunley ◽  
Marcus B. Stone ◽  
Darrin Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: The cervical total disc replacement (cTDR) was developed to treat cervical degenerative disc disease while preserving motion. OBJECTIVE: Cost-effectiveness of this intervention was established by looking at 2-year follow-up, and this update reevaluates our analysis over 5 years. METHODS: Data were derived from a randomized trial of 330 patients. Data from the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey were transformed into utilities by using the SF-6D algorithm. Costs were calculated by extracting diagnosis-related group codes and then applying 2014 Medicare reimbursement rates. A Markov model evaluated quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for both treatment groups. Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the stability of the model. The model adopted both societal and health system perspectives and applied a 3% annual discount rate. RESULTS: The cTDR costs $1687 more than anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) over 5 years. In contrast, cTDR had $34 377 less productivity loss compared with ACDF. There was a significant difference in the return-to-work rate (81.6% compared with 65.4% for cTDR and ACDF, respectively; P = .029). From a societal perspective, the incremental cost-effective ratio (ICER) for cTDR was −$165 103 per QALY. From a health system perspective, the ICER for cTDR was $8518 per QALY. In the sensitivity analysis, the ICER for cTDR remained below the US willingness-to-pay threshold of $50 000 per QALY in all scenarios (−$225 816 per QALY to $22 071 per QALY). CONCLUSION: This study is the first to report the comparative cost-effectiveness of cTDR vs ACDF for 2-level degenerative disc disease at 5 years. The authors conclude that, because of the negative ICER, cTDR is the dominant modality.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Tasavon Gholamhoseini ◽  
Mahdiye Zarein ◽  
Reza Goodarzi ◽  
Mohammadreza Amiresmaili ◽  
Masoud Mehrpour

Abstract Background: Two approaches including stroke unit and routine treatment, are used to address stroke patients. Although stroke unit is a new intervention in Iran and its effectiveness has been proven, but there is little information on its costs. It is necessary to utilize the results of the studies of economic evaluation in order to choose the better treatment option between two alternatives. Due to the lack of studies in this field in Iran, the current study was done to compare the cost-effectiveness of stroke unit and routine treatment. Methods: The present study investigated cost-effectiveness of stroke unit compared with routine treatment from health system perspective. Markov model incorporating three health states of independent, dependent and death for a time horizon of 10 years with a 3-month cycle length was applied. Direct medical and non-medical costs including pharmaceutical and hospital expenses, were calculated based on 2018 data. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were taken as the outcome measure. The analysis of cost-effectiveness and sensitivity for uncertain parameters was carried out using TreeAge 2020. Results: Stroke unit had more costs and QALYs gain in comparison with routine treatment with $1926 per QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that stroke unit cost-effectiveness probability is 77 percent, in the threshold of willingness to pay three times GDP per capita. Conclusion: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of stroke unit is far less than the threshold of willingness to pay, indicating the strategy is cost-effective. Therefore, implementing stroke unit in Iran health system leads to optimal use of resources.



Author(s):  
Ambinintsoa H. Ralaidovy ◽  
Jeremy Addison Lauer ◽  
Carel Pretorius ◽  
Olivier JT Briët ◽  
Edith Patouillard

Background: This paper forms part of an update of the World Health Organization Choosing Interventions that are Cost-Effective (WHO-CHOICE) programmes. It provides an assessment of global health system performance during the first decade of the 21st century (2000-2010) with respect to allocative efficiency in HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria control, thereby shining a spotlight on programme development and scale up in these Millennium Development Goal (MDG) priority areas; and examining the cost-effectiveness of selected best-practice interventions and intervention packages commonly in use during that period. Methods: Generalized cost-effectiveness analysis (GCEA) was used to determine the cost-effectiveness of the selected interventions. Impact modelling was performed using the OpenMalaria platform for malaria and using the Goals and TIME (TB Impact Model and Estimates) models in Spectrum for HIV and TB. All health system costs, regardless of payer, were included and reported in international dollars. Health outcomes are estimated and reported as the gain in healthy life years (HLYs) due to the specific intervention or combination. Analysis was restricted to eastern sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Results: At the reference year of 2010, commonly used interventions for HIV, TB and malaria were cost-effective, with cost-effectiveness ratios less than I$ 100/HLY saved for virtually all interventions included. HIV, TB and malaria prevention and treatment interventions are highly cost-effective and can be implemented through a phased approach to full coverage to achieve maximum health benefits and contribute to the progressive elimination of these diseases. Conclusion: During the first decade of the 21st century (2000-2010), the global community has done well overall for HIV, TB, and malaria programmes as regards both economic efficiency and programmatic selection criteria. The role of international assistance, financial and technical, arguably was critical to these successes. As the global community now tackles the challenge of universal health coverage, this analysis can reinforce commitment to Sustainable Development Goal targets but also the importance of continued focus on these critical programme areas.



Author(s):  
Jennifer Zhou ◽  
Danny Liew ◽  
Stephen J. Duffy ◽  
James Shaw ◽  
Antony Walton ◽  
...  

Background: There is increasing evidence that use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with improved clinical outcomes compared with angiography guidance alone. However, concern regarding the cost-effectiveness of IVUS has limited use of this technology worldwide. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of IVUS-guided PCI compared with angiography-guided PCI in patients undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation. Methods: A decision-analytic Markov model was constructed to compare the cost-effectiveness of IVUS to angiography guidance from the Australian healthcare system perspective. Procedure-related morbidity and mortality were estimated from the literature. Costs were obtained from Australian sources. The population of interest was all-comers undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stent. Outcomes of interest included costs, life-expectancy, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for both treatment groups. Results: In the base case, IVUS guidance was cost-effective compared with angiography guidance alone. With 5% annual discounting, IVUS was associated with increased lifetime costs of Australian dollars (AUD) $823 (USD $597) per person and benefits of 0.04 life years and 0.05 QALYs compared with angiography, yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of AUD $17 539 (USD $12 730) per QALY gained. Results were robust to sensitivity analyses, with IVUS being cost-effective in 99% of 10 000 Monte Carlo iterations assuming a willingness-to-pay threshold of AUD $50 000 per QALY gained. In a worst-case scenario analysis, IVUS remained the cost-effective option, with an ICER of AUD $36 651 (USD $26 601) per QALY gained. Exploratory subgroup analysis revealed that cost-effectiveness may be greatest among patients with left main and complex coronary lesions. Conclusions: Use of IVUS guidance during PCI is likely to be cost-effective compared with angiography guidance alone among patients undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document