scholarly journals A Framework for Assessing Import Costs of Medical Supplies and Results for a Tuberculosis Program in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Stefan Kohler ◽  
Norman Sitali ◽  
Nicolas Paul
Keyword(s):  
Health Programs ◽  
Unit Weight ◽  
Transport Costs ◽  
Total Import ◽  
Budget Planning ◽  
Medical Supplies ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Standard Product ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Import Cost

Background. Import of medical supplies is common, but limited knowledge about import costs and their structure introduces uncertainty to budget planning, cost management, and cost-effectiveness analysis of health programs. We aimed to estimate the import costs of a tuberculosis (TB) program in Uzbekistan, including the import costs of specific imported items. Methods. We developed a framework that applies costing and cost accounting to import costs. First, transport costs, customs-related costs, cargo weight, unit weights, and quantities ordered were gathered for a major shipment of medical supplies from the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Procurement Unit in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to a TB program in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, in 2016. Second, air freight, land freight, and customs clearance cost totals were estimated. Third, total import costs were allocated to different cargos (standard, cool, and frozen), items (e.g., TB drugs), and units (e.g., one tablet) based on imported weight and quantity. Data sources were order invoices, waybills, the local MSF logistics department, and an MSF standard product list. Results. The shipment contained 1.8 million units of 85 medical items of standard, cool, and frozen cargo. The average import cost for the TB program was 9.0% of the shipment value. Import cost varied substantially between cargos (8.9–28% of the cargo value) and items (interquartile range 4.5–35% of the item value). The largest portion of the total import cost was caused by transport (82–99% of the cargo import cost) and allocated based on imported weight. Ten (14%) of the 69 items imported as standard cargo were associated with 85% of the standard cargo import cost. Standard cargo items could be grouped based on contributing to import costs predominantly through unit weight (e.g., fluids), imported quantity (e.g., tablets), or the combination of unit weight and imported quantity (e.g., items in powder form). Conclusion. The cost of importing medical supplies to a TB program in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, was sizable, variable, and driven by a subset of imported items. The framework used to measure and account import costs can be adapted to other health programs.

scholarly journals Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Supply Chain System: Sudan's National Medical Supplies Fund 2011–2014

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayat Mohammed Elhassan Makkawi ◽  
Mohamed Awad Mousnad ◽  
Gamal Khalafalla Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Supply System ◽  
Essential Medicines ◽  
Supply Chain System ◽  
National Medical ◽  
Medical Supplies ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Baseline System ◽  
The Cost

ABSTRACT Introduction The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of supply chain investment on the performance of the National Supply System of Essential Medicines in Sudan from 2011 to 2014. Methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional study designed from National Medical Supplies Fund documents. The cost-effectiveness analysis involved an economic evaluation of the performance of the supply chain system, with the cost calculated by using the activity-based costing method, by examining a supply chain according to its main components or functions including the cost of procurement, central storage, distribution and management, and administrative function. Effectiveness of supply chain investment was measured as an indicator of supply chain performance, which includes availability, coverage, affordability, and building capacity indicators. Statistical analysis was performed by using Microsoft Excel 2010, STATA (version 14) and the level of statistical significance was set at p < .05 for all analyses. Results The new system in 2014 (Model B), which reflects the performance of the system after the NMSF started investing more in the supply chain, will probably be more costly than the baseline system of 2011 (Model A) but will produce a much higher level of performance. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of moving from the baseline system of 2011 (Model A) to the new system in 2014 (Model B) were $286,826.02 per percentage of availability of medicines at the central warehouse; $310,728.18 per percentage of medicines procured that have a median price ratio of 1 or less than 1; $149,149.53 per percentage of public health institutions' coverage by National Medical Supplies Fund (NMSF) services; and $12,682.78 per number of NMSF staff trained. A paired t test showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the average cost-effectiveness ratios of the 2 models. Conclusions The investment in the supply chain had a significant impact on the performance of the National Supply System of Essential Medicines in Sudan. The new policies and interventions as embedded in the new 2014 model represent a more efficient and cost-effective approach, and a better performing system than the baseline model of 2011.

scholarly journals Screening for Melanoma by Primary Health Care Physicians: A Cost—Effectiveness Analysis

1996 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afaf Girgis ◽  
Philip Clarke ◽  
Robert C Burton ◽  
Rob W Sanson—Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Screening Programme ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Family Practitioners ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Primary Health Care Physicians ◽  
Melanoma Screening

Background and design— Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, and the incidence is estimated to be doubling every 10 years. Despite advances in the early detection and treatment of melanoma about 800 people still die nationally of the disease each year. A possible strategy for further reducing the mortality from melanoma is an organised programme of population screening for unsuspected lesions in asymptomatic people. Arguments against introducing melanoma screening have been based on cost and the lack of reliable data on the efficacy of any screening tests. To date, however, there has been no systematic economic assessment of the cost effectiveness of melanoma screening. The purpose of this research was to determine whether screening may be potentially cost effective and, therefore, warrants further investigation. A computer was used to simulate the effects of a hypothetical melanoma screening programme that was in operation for 20 years, using cohorts of Australians aged 50 at the start of the programme. Based on this simulation, cost—effectiveness estimates of melanoma screening were calculated. Results— Under the standard assumptions used in the model, and setting the sensitivity of the screening test (visual inspection of the skin) at 60%, cost effectiveness ranged from Aust$6853 per life year saved for men if screening was undertaken five yearly to $12137 if screening was two yearly. For women, it ranged from $11 102 for five yearly screening to $20 877 for two yearly screening. Conclusion— The analysis suggests that a melanoma screening programme could be cost effective, particularly if five yearly screening is implemented by family practitioners for men over the age of 50.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Submandibular Gland Preservation With Sialendoscopy for the Management of Sialolithiasis

2021 ◽  
pp. 019459982110268
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Acevedo ◽  
Ashley C. Hsu ◽  
Jeffrey C. Yu ◽  
Dale H. Rice ◽  
Daniel I. Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Submandibular Gland ◽  
Average Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Probability Of Success ◽  
Markov Decision Model ◽  
The Cost

Objective To compare the cost-effectiveness of sialendoscopy with gland excision for the management of submandibular gland sialolithiasis. Study Design Cost-effectiveness analysis. Setting Outpatient surgery centers. Methods A Markov decision model compared the cost-effectiveness of sialendoscopy versus gland excision for managing submandibular gland sialolithiasis. Surgical outcome probabilities were found in the primary literature. The quality of life of patients was represented by health utilities, and costs were estimated from a third-party payer’s perspective. The effectiveness of each intervention was measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). The incremental costs and effectiveness of each intervention were compared, and a willingness-to-pay ratio of $150,000 per QALY was considered cost-effective. One-way, multivariate, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to challenge model conclusions. Results Over 10 years, sialendoscopy yielded 9.00 QALYs at an average cost of $8306, while gland excision produced 8.94 QALYs at an average cost of $6103. The ICER for sialendoscopy was $36,717 per QALY gained, making sialendoscopy cost-effective by our best estimates. The model was sensitive to the probability of success and the cost of sialendoscopy. Sialendoscopy must meet a probability-of-success threshold of 0.61 (61%) and cost ≤$11,996 to remain cost-effective. A Monte Carlo simulation revealed sialendoscopy to be cost-effective 60% of the time. Conclusion Sialendoscopy appears to be a cost-effective management strategy for sialolithiasis of the submandibular gland when certain thresholds are maintained. Further studies elucidating the clinical factors that determine successful sialendoscopy may be aided by these thresholds as well as future comparisons of novel technology.

scholarly journals Systematic review of cost-effectiveness analysis of behavior change communication apps: Assessment of key methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205520762110005
Author(s):  
Cynthia Afedi Hazel ◽  
Sheana Bull ◽  
Elizabeth Greenwell ◽  
Maya Bunik ◽  
Jini Puma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Quantitative Measure ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Behavior Change Communication ◽  
Change Communication ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Life Years ◽  
The Cost

Objective Evidence backing the effectiveness of mobile health technology is growing, and behavior change communication applications (apps) are fast becoming a useful platform for behavioral health programs. However, data to support the cost-effectiveness of these interventions are limited. Suggestions for overcoming the low output of economic data include addressing the methodological challenges for conducting cost-effectiveness analysis of behavior change app programs. This study is a systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses of behavior change communication apps and a documentation of the reported challenges for investigating their cost-effectiveness. Materials and methods Four academic databases: Medline (Ovid), CINAHL, EMBASE and Google Scholar, were searched. Eligibility criteria included original articles that use a cost-effectiveness evaluation method, published between 2008 and 2018, and in the English language. Results Out of the 60 potentially eligible studies, 6 used cost-effectiveness analysis method and met the inclusion criteria. Conclusion The evidence to support the cost-effectiveness of behavior change communication apps is insufficient, with all studies reporting significant study challenges for estimating program costs and outcomes. The main challenges included limited or lack of cost data, inappropriate cost measures, difficulty with identifying and quantifying app effectiveness, representing app effects as Quality-adjusted Life Years, and aggregating cost and effects into a single quantitative measure like Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio. These challenges highlight the need for comprehensive economic evaluation methods that balance app data quality issues with practical concerns. This would likely improve the usefulness of cost-effectiveness data for decisions on adoption, implementation, scalability, sustainability, and the benefits of broader healthcare investments.

Principles of Cost-Effective Resource Allocation in Health Care organizations

1990 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milton C. Weinstein
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Common Understanding ◽  
Analytical Errors

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is a method of economic evaluation that can be used to assess the efficiency with which health care technologies use limited resources to produce health outputs. However, inconsistencies in the way that such ratios are constructed often lead to misleading conclusions when CEAs are compared. Some of these inconsistencies, such as failure to discount or to calculate incremental ratios correctly, reflect analytical errors that, if corrected, would resolve the inconsistencies. Others reflect fundamental differences in the viewpoint of the analysis. The perspectives of different decision-making entities can properly lead to different items in the numerator and denominator of the cost-effectiveness (C/E) ratio. Producers and consumers of CEA need to be more conscious of the perspectives of analysis, so that C/E comparisons from a given perspective are based upon a common understanding of the elements that are properly included.

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