Medical economy and acid reflux diseases

Abstract

AbstractToday’s medicine is focused to improve the quality of life of patients. Hence, the increase in social health‐care utilization through patients themselves or a third party: the payer is apparently a burden to society. The negotiation between willingness of payers, expensive interventions, society acceptance, social costs, legal or moral encounters etc. remains unresolved. Knowing the medical economic analyses is obviously a way to reduce the nonsensical expenses and risks in daily practice. Of them, cost‐minimization analysis is the simplest form, which assumes that different approaches achieve the same outcome, therefore, the least expensive option is obtained. Cost‐utility analysis is not only to identify costs and outcomes of interventions but also to assign quality of life to suggest their likely acceptance by society. Cost–benefit analysis quantifies costs and benefits in monetary value of changing well‐being based on intervention and policy decision. Currently, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been very common in the gastrointestinal clinics of modern societies. The direct GERD expenditures in terms of diagnosis, drug price, maintenance and surveillance in the event of Barrett’s epithelial change are considerable to payers and society. Now it is believed that the most effective treatment is the most economic measure, whereas the step‐up approach is almost abandoned because of the lack of economic value. On‐demand therapy for mild GERD looks ideal to save on expenses. Nevertheless, how to define an effective guideline in approaching and treating GERD remains evolving. It is also difficult to apply globally due to the existing discrepancies in terms of disease epidemiology, culture, social acceptance, economy, insurance system etc. In conclusion, as the health‐care costs and payer oversight continue to grow due to the advanced science, technology and evolving humanitarian angles, the daily medical practice should consider their effectiveness and cost–benefits in reducing the burden on society.