Is Routine Use of VTED Chemical Prophylaxis Ever Warranted in Foot and Ankle Surgery? Results of a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (sp1) ◽  
pp. 14-14
Author(s):  
Shirley Chen ◽  
Adam Fleischer ◽  
Craig Wirt ◽  
Richmond Robinson ◽  
Carolina Barbosa ◽  
...  

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether some foot/ankle surgeries would benefit from routine use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) as postoperative DVT prophylaxis. METHODS: We conducted a formal cost-effectiveness analysis using a decision analytic tree to represent the risk of complications under a scenario of no prophylaxis and a scenario of routine LMWH prophylaxis for 4 weeks. The two scenarios were compared for five procedures: 1) Achilles tendon repair (ATR), 2) total ankle replacement (TAR), 3) hallux valgus surgery (HVS), 4) hindfoot arthrodesis (HA), and 5) ankle fracture surgery (AFS). Outcomes assessed included short and long-term costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost per QALY gained. Costs were evaluated from the health care system perspective and expressed in US dollars at a 2015 price base. In the short-term, routine prophylaxis was always associated with greater costs compared to no prophylaxis. RESULTS: For ATR, TAR, HA and AFS prophylaxis was associated with slightly better health outcomes; however, the gain in QALYs was minimal compared to the cost of prophylaxis (ICER was well above $50,000/QALY threshold). For HVS, prophylaxis was associated with both worse health outcomes and greater costs. In the long-term, routine prophylaxis was always associated with worse health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the decision to use LMWH prophylaxis should not be based solely on the type of foot/ankle surgery planned. Patient factors also need to be carefully weighed.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kalisa ◽  
Moses Kinyanjui Muriithi ◽  
Leon Bijlmakers ◽  
Thomas van den Akker ◽  
Jos van Roosmalen

Abstract Background Obstetric complications are difficult to predict and may require referral, expedited by ambulance use. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing ambulance transfers and self-referrals in obstetric emergencies in a predominantly rural setting in Kenya. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional cost-effectiveness analysis using a healthcare system perspective was conducted of parturient women transferred by ambulance to a higher level hospital compared with self-referrals between January to June 2019. Direct costs needed for ambulance, self-referral and clinical care were calculated. Every woman admitted with a pregnancy-related complication was assessed using the adapted sub-Saharan African Maternal Near Miss (MNM) criteria. Each referred woman was categorized as: ‘necessary referral’ meaning that they were managed for either MNM or potentially life-threatening complications (PLTC) and ‘unnecessary referral’ meaning those with no obstetric complications. Incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) for referral was considered attractive or very attractive interventions when costs per life years gained (LYG) were below $150 and $30, respectively. Results Overall, 2804 women (96.3%) were self-referrals, while 108 ambulance transfers occurred (3.7%). Main indications for ambulance transfer were prolonged labor (n = 21; 19.4%), pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (n = 19; 17.6%) and sepsis/peritonitis following cesarean section (n = 15; 13.9%). Necessary referrals were considered to have occurred in 81/108 (75%) for ambulance transfers versus 239/2804 (9.3%) self-referrals. If all necessary referral cases had exclusively used ambulance services (ambulance + self-referrals), then the total intervention costs would be $90,112 and LYG 6095, equivalent to ICER of $14.8 per LYG. Women with unnecessary referrals by ambulance were 27/108 (25%) versus self-referrals in 2565/2804 (91.5%) indicating that these women could have been managed in sub-county hospitals or health centers. Conclusions Cost-effectiveness of reasonably well-targeted ambulance services on women with MNM or PLTC in our setting was very attractive.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e047514
Author(s):  
Christopher Pease ◽  
Gonzalo Alvarez ◽  
Ranjeeta Mallick ◽  
Mike Patterson ◽  
Sandy Finn ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo assess the cost effectiveness of once weekly rifapentine and isoniazid for 12 weeks (3HP) to the current standard care for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) in Iqaluit, Nunavut.DesignA cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model reflecting local practices for LTBI treatment.SettingA remote Canadian arctic community with a high incidence of TB.ParticipantsHypothetical patients with LTBI.InterventionsThe cost effectiveness of 3HP was compared with the existing standard of care in the study region which consists of 9 months of twice weekly isoniazid (9H) given by directly observed therapy.Outcome measuresEffectiveness was measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) with model parameters were derived from historical programmatic data, a local implementation study of 3HP and published literature. Costs from the perspective of the Nunavut healthcare system were measured in 2019 US dollars and were obtained primarily from local, empirically collected data. Secondary health outcomes included estimated TB cases and TB deaths averted using 3HP versus 9H. One way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.ResultsThe 3HP regimen was dominant over 9H: costs were lower (US$628 vs US$924/person) and health outcomes slightly improved (20.14 vs 20.13 QALYs/person). In comparison to 9H, 3HP treatment resulted in fewer TB cases (27.89 vs 30.16/1000 persons) and TB deaths (2.29 vs 2.48/1000 persons). 3HP completion, initiation and risk of fatal adverse events were the primary drivers of cost effectiveness.ConclusionIn a remote Canadian arctic setting, using 3HP instead of 9H for LTBI treatment may result in cost savings and similar or improved health outcomes.


10.36469/9777 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Eva Tirado ◽  
Daniel Callejo Velasco ◽  
Marta Rubio Cabezas ◽  
Cristina Moretones Agut ◽  
Meritxell Granell Villalón

Purpose: To perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of radium-223 plus Best Supportive Care (BSC) compared to BSC in the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and without previous docetaxel treatment in Spain. Design and methods: A Markov model was developed to compare radium-223 versus BSC and to accrue the health outcomes and costs of a simulated cohort of mCRPC patients. Quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and life year (LY) were selected as health outcomes to measure the effectiveness of treatment alternatives. Main health resource use and efficacy inputs were obtained from a randomized controlled trial comparing radium-223 versus placebo. Unit costs were retrieved from Spanish databases and published sources. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out to assess uncertainty. Results: Total costs and QALYs were €65 067 and 1.12 QALYs for radium-223 and €55 437 and 0.77 QALYs for BSC. Therefore, incremental costs per QALY were €27 606. The sensitivity analysis showed that with a willingness-to-pay threshold of €30 000 per QALY, radium-223 would have a probability of 48% of being cost-effective compared to BSC. Conclusions: Although results must be assessed with caution, from the Spanish National Health System perspective and based on the results of the present analysis, radium-223 could be a suitable option of health resources’ utilization for end of life mCRPC without previous docetaxel treatment, subject to a moderate level of uncertainty.


Author(s):  
Carmen Selva-Sevilla ◽  
Elena Conde-Montero ◽  
Manuel Gerónimo-Pardo

Punch grafting is a traditional technique used to promote epithelialization of hard-to-heal wounds. The main purpose of this observational study was to conduct a cost-utility analysis (CUA) and a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) comparing punch grafting (n = 46) with usual care (n = 34) for the treatment of chronic wounds in an outpatient specialized wound clinic from a public healthcare system perspective (Spanish National Health system) with a three-month time horizon. CUA outcome was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) calculated from EuroQoL-5D, whereas CEA outcome was wound-free period. One-way sensitivity analyses, extreme scenario analysis, and re-analysis by subgroups were conducted to fight against uncertainty. Bayesian regression models were built to explore whether differences between groups in costs, wound-free period, and QALYs could be explained by other variables different to treatment. As main results, punch grafting was associated with a reduction of 37% in costs compared to usual care, whereas mean incremental utility (0.02 ± 0.03 QALYs) and mean incremental effectiveness (7.18 ± 5.30 days free of wound) were favorable to punch grafting. All sensitivity analyses proved the robustness of our models. To conclude, punch grafting is the dominant alternative over usual care because it is cheaper and its utility and effectiveness are greater.


Author(s):  
Andrea Manca ◽  
David M. Epstein ◽  
David J. Torgerson ◽  
Jennifer A. Klaber Moffett ◽  
Simon Coulton ◽  
...  

Objectives:To assess the cost-effectiveness ofbrief physiotherapyintervention versususual physiotherapymanagement in patients with neck pain of musculoskeletal origin in the community setting.Methods:A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted alongside a multicenter pragmatic randomized controlled clinical trial. Individuals 18 years of age and older with neck pain of more than 2 weeks were recruited from physiotherapy departments with referrals from general practitioners (GPs) in the East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire regions in the United Kingdom. A total of 139 patients were allocated to the brief intervention, and 129 to the usual physiotherapy. Resource use data were prospectively collected on the number of physiotherapy sessions, hospital stay, specialist, and GP visits. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated using EQ-5D data collected at baseline, 3 and 12 months from the start of the treatment. The economic evaluation was conducted from the U.K. National Health System perspective.Results:On average, brief intervention produced lower costs (£−68; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], £−103 to £−35) and marginally lower QALYs (−0.001; 95 percent CI, −0.030 to 0.028) compared with usual physiotherapy, resulting in an incremental cost per QALY of £68,000 for usual physiotherapy. These results are sensitive to patients' treatment preferences.Conclusions:Usual physiotherapy may not be good value for money for the average individual in this trial but could be a cost-effective strategy for those who are indifferent toward which treatment they receive.


2021 ◽  
pp. 019459982110268
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Acevedo ◽  
Ashley C. Hsu ◽  
Jeffrey C. Yu ◽  
Dale H. Rice ◽  
Daniel I. Kwon ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205520762110005
Author(s):  
Cynthia Afedi Hazel ◽  
Sheana Bull ◽  
Elizabeth Greenwell ◽  
Maya Bunik ◽  
Jini Puma ◽  
...  

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.


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