The implementation costs of an electronic prevention programme in Belgian general practice

Abstract

Introduction: Guidelines to prevent cardiovascular (CV) disease are widely available. To implement these guidelines an electronic prevention programme (EPP) with a risk calculator for general practitioners (GPs) was developed. The aim of the present study was to calculate the implementation cost per installation. Methods: This cost study is part of a larger clinical trial, studying the effects of interventions in GP-practice on the management of CV risk factors. Participating GPs were asked to install the EPP. They could take part in a group education session or receive education by e-mail, telephone or at home. After a prospective cost registration, the cost per installation and a sensitivity analysis were calculated. Results: 185 GPs participated in the study. The total implementation cost of the EPP was €83,939. As the EPP was successfully installed by 102 GPs, the mean cost equals €823 per GP. Sensitivity analyses showed a decrease in costs due to a decrease of the costs of group education and/or an increase of installations.Conclusion: This study showed that it is possible to implement an EPP for cardiovascular prevention with an acceptable cost.