A cost analysis of participation via personal attendance versus telemedicine at a head and neck oncology multidisciplinary team meeting

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joacim Stalfors ◽  
Ingela Björholt ◽  
Thomas Westin

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are used for establishing diagnosis, for tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) classification and for treatment in head and neck tumour patients in the western region of Sweden. Because of the distances, telemedicine was introduced to link the regional hospital to two of the three district general hospitals (DGHs). We evaluated the costs of presenting patients face to face (FTF) versus via telemedicine. Cost analyses were based on questionnaires completed by patients presented at the MDT meeting. A total of 39 patients were included in the FTF group and 45 patients in the telemedicine group. The cost analysis showed that FTF presentation cost SEK 2267 versus SEK 2036 by telemedicine (difference not significant). The small difference was explained by the fact that the responsible physician accompanied only six of 39 patients when presented FTF, but when presented via telemedicine the DGH physician always participated. A sensitivity analysis revealed that if the responsible physician always accompanied his/her patient for presentation FTF, the cost would be SEK 5366 per patient. This study shows that costs may be saved by carrying out MDT meetings by means of telemedicine instead of FTF.

2016 ◽  
Vol 87 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A80.2-A80
Author(s):  
Filipe Brogueira Rodrigues ◽  
Sarah J Tabrizi ◽  
Rachel Taylor ◽  
Edward J Wild

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 338-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joacim Stalfors ◽  
Staffan Edström ◽  
Thomas Björk-Eriksson ◽  
Claes Mercke ◽  
Jan Nyman ◽  
...  

Telemedicine was introduced for weekly tumour case conferences between Sahlgrenska University Hospital and two district hospitals in Sweden. The accuracy of tele-oncology was determined using simulated telemedicine consultations, in which all the material relating to each case was presented but without the patient in person. The people attending the conference were asked to determine the tumour ('TNM') classification and treatment. The patient was then presented in person, to give the audience the opportunity to ask questions and perform a physical examination. Then a new discussion regarding the tumour classification and the treatment plan took place, and the consensus was recorded. Of the 98 consecutive patients studied in this way, 80 could be evaluated by both techniques. Of these 80, 73 (91%) had the same classification and treatment plan in the telemedicine simulation as in the subsequent face-to-face consultation. In four cases the TNM classification was changed and for three patients the treatment plan was altered. The specialists also had to state their degree of confidence in the tele-oncology decisions. When they recorded uncertainty about their decision, it was generally because they wanted to palpate the tumour. In five of the seven patients with a different outcome, the clinical evaluation was stated to be dubious or not possible. The results show that telemedicine can be used safely for the management of head and neck cancers.


2014 ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
Danuta Szwajca ◽  
Alina Rydzewska ◽  
Tomasz Nawrocki

In the realities of modern economy even the best-managed company is not able to avoid threats and bad decisions, that can cause a crisis. Each crisis situation, that a company experiences, generates not only measurable economic costs, but also more difficult to assess and measure costs of a deteriorated reputation. These costs are the result of infringement of interests or failing to satisfy different stakeholders expectations. The aim of this article is an attempt to identify the cost of reputation deterioration in the context of the various interests of stakeholders groups. In the first part, the paper presents the effects of good and bad reputation, the reputation "contamination" path in a crisis situation and a cost analysis caused by it. The second part is empirical, where the identification of crisis situations measurable costs and reputation deterioration based on the examples of three selected companies was performed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 834-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Perri ◽  
Paolo Muto ◽  
Corrado Aversa ◽  
Antonio Daponte ◽  
Giuseppina Vittoria ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 999 (999) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Perri ◽  
Paolo Muto ◽  
Corrado Aversa ◽  
Antonio Daponte ◽  
Giuseppina Della Vittoria ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 1357633X2098277
Author(s):  
Molly Jacobs ◽  
Patrick M Briley ◽  
Heather Harris Wright ◽  
Charles Ellis

Introduction Few studies have reported information related to the cost-effectiveness of traditional face-to-face treatments for aphasia. The emergence and demand for telepractice approaches to aphasia treatment has resulted in an urgent need to understand the costs and cost-benefits of this approach. Methods Eighteen stroke survivors with aphasia completed community-based aphasia telerehabilitation treatment, utilizing the Language-Oriented Treatment (LOT) delivered via Webex videoconferencing program. Marginal benefits to treatment were calculated as the change in Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R) score pre- and post-treatment and marginal cost of treatment was calculated as the relationship between change in WAB-R aphasia quotient (AQ) and the average cost per treatment. Controlling for demographic variables, Bayesian estimation evaluated the primary contributors to WAB-R change and assessed cost-effectiveness of treatment by aphasia type. Results Thirteen out of 18 participants experienced significant improvement in WAB-R AQ following telerehabilitation delivered therapy. Compared to anomic aphasia (reference group), those with conduction aphasia had relatively similar levels of improvement whereas those with Broca’s aphasia had smaller improvement. Those with global aphasia had the largest improvement. Each one-point of improvement cost between US$89 and US$864 for those who improved (mean = US$200) depending on aphasia type/severity. Discussion Individuals with severe aphasia may have the greatest gains per unit cost from treatment. Both improvement magnitude and the cost per unit of improvement were driven by aphasia type, severity and race. Economies of scale to aphasia treatment–cost may be minimized by treating a variety of types of aphasia at various levels of severity.


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