Multidisciplinary approach to psoriasis in the Spanish National Health System: A social return on investment study.

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic disease in which patients feel stigmatization, social rejection, and suffer from low self-esteem. There are still unmet needs that make it necessary to define a new multidisciplinary approach to provide benefits not only to patients and their families but also to the Spanish National Health System (SNHS) and society. The aim was to define a new approach to better address the unmet needs of patients with psoriasis within the SNHS and to measure its impact from a social perspective, that is, in clinical, health care, economic, and social terms. Multidisciplinary experts identified, agreed on, and selected several health care interventions that were feasible for implementation in the SNHS. This process was carried out in four different areas: diagnosis, mild psoriasis, moderate psoriasis, and severe psoriasis. To estimate investment and social return, the social return on investment (SROI) method was used. The new approach to psoriasis management in the SNHS comprised 18 proposals. The investment needed for the implementation of this new approach would amount to €222.77 million and its return to €1,123.11 million. This would yield a SROI ratio of €5.04 for every euro invested. The new approach to psoriasis management would yield a positive social return. The results will allow optimal strategic planning adapted to each assistance situation, to achieve a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach.