Abstract
Transitional care encompasses a range of services designed to promote care integration as patients transfer between different locations or different levels of care. Transitional care programmes have been proven to produce positive outcomes in reducing hospital readmissions and improving patients’ health outcomes. However, little is known about the benefits of the programmes on healthcare cost and the published results have been inconsistent. With increasing healthcare expenditures and limited public healthcare resources, cost-benefit analyses become paramount in informing healthcare resource allocation decisions. This perspective paper describes the approaches used in estimating the total costs of a bundle of transitional care services from an academic medical centre, identifies the key methodological challenges encountered in the process of cost-benefit analysis, and recommends potential solutions to tackle these challenges. By providing a comprehensive perspective on the methodological challenges, this paper encourages program evaluators to take these possible challenges into consideration for future cost-benefit analyses.
Highlights
Transitional care encompasses a range of services designed to promote care integration as patients transfer between different locations or different levels of care [1]
With the aim of facilitating seamless transitions for older patients with complex illnesses from hospital to home setting, the National University Health System, Singapore, implemented transitional care programmes. These programmes comprised a bundle of transitional care services including education on self-management, reconciliation of medications, home rehabilitation sessions, and psycho-social support provided by a multidisciplinary healthcare team based in an academic medical centre and its community partners
Using a case study, we have highlighted some of the lessons learned in conducting a cost-benefit analysis of transitional care programmes in Singapore
Summary
Conducting a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Transitional Care Programmes: The Key Challenges and Recommendations. Little is known about the benefits of the programmes on healthcare cost and the published results have been inconsistent. With increasing healthcare expenditures and limited public healthcare resources, cost-benefit analyses become paramount in informing healthcare resource allocation decisions. This perspective paper describes the approaches used in estimating the total costs of a bundle of transitional care services from an academic medical centre, identifies the key methodological challenges encountered in the process of cost-benefit analysis, and recommends potential solutions to tackle these challenges. By providing a comprehensive perspective on the methodological challenges, this paper encourages program evaluators to take these possible challenges into consideration for future cost-benefit analyses
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
