Cost Of Care For Patients Research Articles

Depression screening within 3 months of primary shoulder arthroplasty decreases medical complications, implant complications, and costs of care in patients with diagnosed depressive disorder

Background It is unknown if nonpharmacologic interventions are protective of adverse outcomes in depression patients. We studied whether depression screenings/psychotherapy visits were associated with lower: (a) medical complications, (b) readmission rates, (c) implant-related complications, and (d) healthcare expenditures. Methods A nationwide claims database was queried for primary shoulder arthroplasty from 2010 to 2020. Depression patients included those who had (n = 3566) and did not have (n = 17,769) a pre-operative depression screen/psychotherapy visit within 3 months of shoulder arthroplasty. A 90-day period was utilized for complications and readmissions. Implant complications were assessed over 2 years. Costs were surgeon reimbursements. Logistic regression models computed odds ratios (OR) of complications and readmissions. P-values less than 0.005 were significant. Results Depression patients who did not undergo screening had threefold higher odds of 90-day medical complications (28.08 vs. 7.26%; OR: 3.33, p < 0.0001). Readmissions (3.97 vs. 3.48%; p = 0.719) were similar between non-screened vs. screened patients. Implant complications were higher among non-screened vs. screened patients (15.89 vs. 8.02%; OR: 1.93, p < 0.0001), including prosthetic joint infections (2.05 vs. 0.93%; OR: 2.04, p < 0.0001). Costs were significantly higher in patients without screening ($10,916 vs $8703; p < 0.0001). Discussion Shoulder arthroplasty surgeons may consider counseling their depression patients about the importance of having a recent screening by their physician. Level of Evidence: III

Cost of Acute and Sequelae Care for Japanese Encephalitis Patients, Bangladesh, 2011-2021.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is associated with an immense social and economic burden. Published cost-of-illness data come primarily from decades-old studies. To determine the cost of care for patients with acute JE and initial and long-term sequelae from the societal perspective, we recruited patients with laboratory-confirmed JE from the past 10 years of JE surveillance in Bangladesh and categorized them as acute care, initial sequalae, and long-term sequelae patients. Among 157 patients, we categorized 55 as acute, 65 as initial sequelae (53 as both categories), and 90 as long-term sequelae. The average (median) societal cost of an acute JE episode was US $929 ($909), of initial sequelae US $75 ($33), and of long-term sequelae US $47 ($14). Most families perceived the effect of JE on their well-being to be extreme and had sustained debt for JE expenses. Our data about the high cost of JE can be used by decision makers in Bangladesh.

Effect of Multidisciplinary Transitional Pain Service on Health Care Use and Costs Following Orthopedic Surgery.

Opioid use disorder is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. A transitional pain service (TPS) approach to perioperative pain management has been shown to reduce opioid use among patients undergoing orthopedic joint surgery. However, whether TPS also leads to lower health care use and costs is unknown. We designed this study to estimate the effect of TPS implementation relative to standard care on health care use and associated costs of care following orthopedic surgery. We evaluated postoperative health care use and costs for patients who underwent orthopedic joint surgery at 6 US Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs) between 2018 and 2019 using difference-in-differences analysis. Patients enrolled in the TPS at the Salt Lake City VAMC were matched to control patients undergoing the same surgeries at 5 different VAMCs without a TPS. We stratified patients based on history of preoperative opioid use into chronic opioid use (COU) and nonopioid use (NOU) groups and analyzed them separately. For NOU patients, TPS was associated with a mean increase in the number of outpatient visits (6.9 visits; P < .001), no change in outpatient costs, and a mean decrease in inpatient costs (-$12,170; P = .02) during the 1-year follow-up period. TPS was not found to increase health care use or costs for COU patients. Although TPS led to an increase in outpatient visits for NOU patients, there was no increase in outpatient costs and a decrease in inpatient costs after orthopedic surgery. Further, there was no added cost for managing COU patients with a TPS. These findings suggest that TPS can be implemented to reduce opioid use following joint surgery without increasing health care costs.

Socio-economic burden of TB and its impact on child contacts in The Gambia.

To determine the social impact of adult TB on child household contacts living in the Greater Banjul Area, The Gambia. This was a prospective observational cohort study among adults (≥18 years) starting treatment for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB between June 2019 and July 2021 who reported having at least one child household contact. We collected data from 51 adults and 180 child contacts at the start of TB treatment (baseline) and again at 6 months of treatment. Participants were asked about expenses for school fees, healthcare, festivities and food security of child contacts. While school attendance of the child contacts remained largely unaffected, there was a significant drop in school performance at 6 months (P < 0.001). Furthermore, child contacts faced significant food insecurity in terms of food quantity and variety available, with up to a four-fold increase in some instances at 6 months compared to baseline (P < 0.001). Child contacts face a potential decline in school performance and risk of food insecurity. While a plethora of work is being undertaken to alleviate costs of care for TB patients, further emphasis is needed to ensure educational and social prosperity for child contacts, as adults with TB have socio-economic implications for the wider household.

EE246 Is It Possible to Reduce the Costs of Care for Pediatric Patients With Hemophilia A and Inhibitors in Trinidad & Tobago?

EE246 Is It Possible to Reduce the Costs of Care for Pediatric Patients With Hemophilia A and Inhibitors in Trinidad & Tobago?

SA69 Impact of COVID-19 on Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma in the United States (2018–2022): A Population-Based Study

SA69 Impact of COVID-19 on Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma in the United States (2018–2022): A Population-Based Study

Surgeon Sex and Health Care Costs for Patients Undergoing Common Surgical Procedures

Prior research has shown differences in postoperative outcomes for patients treated by female and male surgeons. It is important to understand, from a health system and payer perspective, whether surgical health care costs differ according to the surgeon's sex. To examine the association between surgeon sex and health care costs among patients undergoing surgery. This population-based, retrospective cohort study included adult patients undergoing 1 of 25 common elective or emergent surgical procedures between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2019, in Ontario, Canada. Analysis was performed from October 2022 to March 2023. Surgeon sex. The primary outcome was total health care costs assessed 1 year following surgery. Secondarily, total health care costs at 30 and 90 days, as well as specific cost categories, were assessed. Generalized estimating equations were used with procedure-level clustering to compare costs between patients undergoing equivalent surgeries performed by female and male surgeons, with further adjustment for patient-, surgeon-, anesthesiologist-, hospital-, and procedure-level covariates. Among 1 165 711 included patients, 151 054 were treated by a female surgeon and 1 014 657 were treated by a male surgeon. Analyzed at the procedure-specific level and accounting for patient-, surgeon-, anesthesiologist-, and hospital-level covariates, 1-year total health care costs were higher for patients treated by male surgeons ($24 882; 95% CI, $20 780-$29 794) than female surgeons ($18 517; 95% CI, $16 080-$21 324) (adjusted absolute difference, $6365; 95% CI, $3491-9238; adjusted relative risk, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05-1.14). Similar patterns were observed at 30 days (adjusted absolute difference, $3115; 95% CI, $1682-$4548) and 90 days (adjusted absolute difference, $4228; 95% CI, $2255-$6202). This analysis found lower 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year health care costs for patients treated by female surgeons compared with those treated by male surgeons. These data further underscore the importance of creating inclusive policies and environments supportive of women surgeons to improve recruitment and retention of a more diverse and representative workforce.

Estimation of Postinfusion Resource Use and Total Costs of Care for Patients with R/R Follicular Lymphoma (FL) Receiving Lisocabtagene Maraleucel (liso-cel) in the TRANSCEND FL Study

Background: Liso-cel, an autologous, CD19-directed, 4-1BB CAR T cell product administered at equal target doses of CD8 + and CD4 + CAR + T cells, has previously demonstrated clinically meaningful responses in patients with R/R FL in the global phase 2 TRANSCEND FL study (NCT04245839). Limited evidence is published on estimates of health care resource utilization (HCRU) and cost of postinfusion care among patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) treated with liso-cel (Palomba ML, et al. Leuk Lymphoma 2021), and no evidence is currently available for patients with R/R FL. This analysis evaluated postinfusion HCRU and estimated cost of care across a 6-month period among patients treated with liso-cel in the TRANSCEND FL study. Methods: In this retrospective analysis, patient-level HCRU data from the TRANSCEND FL study database, including hospitalizations and length of hospital stay (LOS) for the entire hospitalization period postinfusion (standard inpatient [IP] and ICU days), diagnostics (eg, laboratory work and imaging), procedures (eg, dialysis and intubation), and medications (eg, oncology supportive care, prophylactics, and other AE management), were analyzed from the day of liso-cel infusion through 6 months of follow-up. Postinfusion costs (not including the cost of liso-cel) were estimated using a microcosting methodology in which HCRU in the 6-month period was identified and unit costs sourced from public databases or literature (adjusted to 2023 US dollars [USD] using the Consumer Price Index) were applied to each HCRU. Facility costs were sourced from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample (2020) databases (Dasta JF, et al. Crit Care Med 2005), and the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS; 2023). Diagnostic and procedure costs were obtained from the CMS OPPS (2023), clinical laboratory fee schedule (2023), physician fee schedule (2023), durable medical fee schedule (2023), and Dasta 2005. Medication cost data were obtained from IBM ® Micromedex ® RED BOOK ® (2023) using wholesale acquisition cost and were uniformly applied across sites of care. Average total cost by month after liso-cel infusion was calculated among patients with ongoing status in that month. Patients censored due to data cutoff were excluded. Results: A total of 130 patients were treated with liso-cel in the TRANSCEND FL study, primarily in the fourth-line setting (45.4%). These patients had a median (range) age of 60 (23‒80) years and were predominantly male (83/130 [63.8%]) and White (69/130 [53.1%]); 45 (34.6%) had unknown race. Among patients who received liso-cel infusions, the estimated mean 6-month postinfusion total cost of care was $89,516 (Figure 1). Most 6-month costs ($77,088 [86.1%]) were incurred in Month 1 after infusion and were primarily driven by facility costs ($66,683 [74.5%]), namely standard IP hospitalization and ICU stays. HCRU and LOS (including standard IP hospitalization and ICU days) are shown in Table 1. Almost all patients were hospitalized in the standard IP setting (128/130 [98.5%]). Few patients were admitted to the ICU (4/130 [3.1%]), and 3/130 (2.3%) had an emergency department visit. Median (range) hospitalization time was 14 (3‒45) days for standard IP and 5 (3‒7) days for ICU stays. Some patients received corticosteroids (30/130 [23.1%]) or tocilizumab (31/130 [23.8%]), and few required intravenous immunoglobulin (11/130 [8.5%]), vasopressors (4/130 [3.1%]), lumbar puncture (2/130 [1.5%]), or mechanical ventilation (1/130 [0.8%]). No patients received dialysis. Conclusions: The majority of costs in the 6-month period after liso-cel infusion among patients with R/R FL in the TRANSCEND FL study were incurred in Month 1 and were facility related (IP and ICU hospitalizations and LOS). These findings, consistent with those previously reported for patients with LBCL treated with liso-cel, support that a single infusion of liso-cel is associated with significantly less HCRU and costs after the initial treatment period in the first month.

Cost of in-patient management of COVID-19 patients in a general hospital in Kuwait

BackgroundAmong the GCC countries affected by COVID-19 infections, Kuwait has been significantly impacted, with 658,520 cases and 2,563 deaths reported by the WHO on September 30, 2022. However, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on Kuwait’s economy, especially in the healthcare sector, remains unknown. Objective: This study aims to determine the total cost of managing COVID-19 in-patients in Kuwait.MethodA cross-sectional design was employed for this study. A total of 485 COVID-19 patients admitted to a general hospital responsible for COVID-19 cases management were randomly selected for this study from May 1st to September 31st, 2021. Data on sociodemographic information, length of stay (LOS), discharge status, and comorbidities were obtained from the patients’ medical records. The data on costs in this study cover administration, utility, pharmacy, radiology, laboratory, nursing, and ICU costs. The unit cost per admission was calculated using a step-down costing method with three levels of cost centers. The unit cost was then multiplied by the individual patient’s length of stay to determine the cost of care per patient per admission.FindingsThe mean cost of COVID-19 in-patient care per admission was KD 2,216 (SD = 2,018), which is equivalent to USD 7,344 (SD = 6,688), with an average length of stay of 9.4 (SD = 8.5) days per admission. The total treatment costs for COVID-19 in-patients (n = 485) were estimated to be KD 1,074,644 (USD 3,561,585), with physician and nursing care costs constituting the largest share at 42.1%, amounting to KD 452,154 (USD 1,498,529). The second and third-largest costs were intensive care (20.6%) at KD 221,439 (USD 733,893) and laboratory costs (10.2%) at KD 109,264 (USD 362,123). The average cost for severe COVID-19 patients was KD 4,626 (USD 15,332), which is almost three times higher than non-severe patients of KD 1,544 (USD 5,117).ConclusionManaging COVID-19 cases comes with substantial costs. This cost information can assist hospital managers and policymakers in designing more efficient interventions, especially for managing high-risk groups.

Overall Survival of Warfarin Compared to LMWH/Doacs in Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism: VA Cohort Study

Background: Warfarin has been shown in pre-clinical models to have anti-neoplastic activity. In a population-based study using the SEER-Medicare Linked Database warfarin was associated with improved survival compared to low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT). To assess whether the observed survival advantage is consistent in other large cohorts, we performed a matched cohort study utilizing the Veterans Affairs (VA) database. The VA is a large, integrated health care system with comprehensive data for their patients at the individual level, which provides the optimal observational cohort to confirm the novel hypothesis warfarin confers a mortality benefit over LMWH. Method: Using the retrospective data from the VA health care system from 2000-2021, we identified patients with CAT who were &amp;gt; 18 years, had available prescription data for anticoagulation within 30 days of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and survived &amp;gt; 14 days after the index VTE event. Patients were excluded if they had prior diagnosis of VTE or had any anticoagulation prescription prior to the first coded VTE event. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Patients were matched 1:1 using nearest neighbor matching on the propensity score. The matching variables included cancer site, cancer stage, date of cancer diagnosis, date of VTE diagnosis, age at VTE diagnosis, gender, race, BMI, Elixhauser-based weighted comorbidity score, and rurality of residential status. Cox proportional-hazards regression was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals. Log-rank test was utilized to estimate the p-value. Subgroup analyses were performed in the largest groups of cancer available in the data set including prostate cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer (excluding hepatobiliary cancer), and malignant hematologic neoplasms (including myeloid malignancy, lymphoid malignancy, and multiple myeloma). Finally subgroup analysis was also performed on localized cancer and metastatic disease based on AJCC stage grouping. Result: There were a total of 20,078 patients that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria without missing data. The warfarin cohort consistent of 8383 patients while non-warfarin cohort comprised 11696 patients. Among the non-warfarin cohort, 54% of the patients were prescribed LMWH exclusively and 38% of the patients were prescribed DOAC exclusively within 30days of the VTE diagnosis. The most common malignancies in the cohort included prostate (29.4%), lung (20.9%), gastrointestinal (15.7%) and hematologic malignancies (10.3%). Of patients with solid tumors, 22% had metastatic cancer. Among the VTE events, 33.3% were acute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, 48.4% were acute pulmonary embolism, and 18.3% were acute upper extremity deep vein thrombosis. After propensity score matching, 8,383 patients were included in the warfarin arm and 8,383 patients in the non-warfarin arm. The median age at VTE diagnosis of the matched cohort was 69 [IQR 63 - 75] and the majority of the patients (96.7%) were male. Warfarin was associated with a significant improvement in OS compared to non-vitamin K antagonists (median OS, 1204 days [95% CI, 1137-1276 days] vs 703 days [95% CI, 665-747 days]; HR 0.79 [95% CI 0.76 - 0.82]; p-value &amp;lt;2x10 -16) (Figure1). The difference was also preserved in gastrointestinal malignancy (HR 0.8 v95% CI 0.73-0.87), lung cancer (HR 0.8, 95% CI 0.79-0.92) and prostate cancer (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.65-0.77). The survival advantage was preserved in patients with metastatic (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.78-0.83) and localized cancer (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.76-0.84) (Figure 2). Conclusion and Relevance: In a population level propensity matched study, warfarin for the treatment of CAT was associated with significantly improved survival over non-vitamin K antagonist anticoagulation in CAT. These provocative finding confirm the previous observation in SEER-Medicare database and have important implications on patient care and health care costs. Further investigation into the biological basis of these findings could potentially lead to biomarker and drug discovery for cancer therapies and prognostication.

Focal congenital hyperinsulinism

In congenital hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia - the most common cause of persistent hypoglycemia in infancy - a focal lesion can be identified in 50% of the cases. With appropriate medical care based upon early diagnosis, these patients can be cured by the resection of the lesion rendering unnecessary long time medical care, and avoiding serious brain damage from recurrent hypoglycemic episodes. Genetic testing and 18F-fluoro-dihydroxyphenylalanine PET/CT imaging are essential for determining the best possible treatment. We report 2 cases of focal congenital hyperinsulinism - both male infants: 22 and 2 months of age - treated successfully with enucleation of the pancreas lesion (Semmelweis University, Budapest). Both patients had the pathognomonic mutation of the ABCC8 gene of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel. Radiologic imaging and histology confirmed the diagnosis, and after the operation, pharmacological treatment was terminated in both cases. During the follow-up period (5 and 1.5 years, respectively) they are euglycemic, with no morbidities attributed to the operation. We believe that these two operations for focal hyperinsulinism - diagnosed and localised by the above detailed genetic and specific radiological testing - were the first of their kind in Hungary. Based on the acquired experience, every necessary examination can be achieved in our country to improve patient care, reduce morbidity and medical costs. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(47): 1877-1884.

Health Care Resource Utilization and Total Costs of Care for Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in the United States: A Retrospective Claims Analysis

PurposeAlthough immunotherapies such as blinatumomab and inotuzumab have led to improved outcomes, financial burden and health resource utilization (HRU) have increased for adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL). This study assessed real-world HRU and costs of care among adult patients with R/R B-ALL by line of therapy (LoT) in the United States. MethodsWe selected patients from the MarketScanⓇ Database (January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2020) as follows: ≥1 claims of ALL-indicated first-line (1L) therapies, ≥1 diagnosis of ALL before the index date (1L initiation date), 6-month continuous enrollment before the index date, second-line (2L) therapy initiation, ≥18 years old at 2L, no clinical trial enrollment, no diagnosis of other forms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and no claim for daratumumab or nelarabine during the study period. Outcome measures included claim-based time to next treatment (TTNT), all-cause and adverse event (AE)–related HRU, and all-cause and AE-related costs. FindingsThe R/R B-ALL cohort (N = 203) was 60% male, median age of 41 years, and median Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 3.0. Mean (SD) follow-up was 17.8 (11.8) months. Of those who received 2L, 55.7% (113/203) required 3L, and 15% (30/203) initiated 4L+. Patients relapsed quickly, with a median TTNT of 170 days, 169 days, and 205 days for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. Hospitalization rates were high across each LoT (2L, 88%; 3L, 73%; 4L+, 73%), and the mean (SD) inpatient length of stay increased by LoT as follows: 8.6 (6.8) days for 2L, 10.6 (13.3) for 3L, and 11.6 (13.6) for 4L+. Mean (SD) overall costs were substantial within each LoT at $513,279 ($599,209), $340,419 ($333,555), and $390,327 ($332,068) for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. The mean (SD) overall/per-patient-per-month AE-related costs were $358,676 ($497,998) for 2L, $202,621 ($272,788) for 3L, and $210,539 ($267,814) for 4L+. Among those receiving blinatumomab or inotuzumab within each LoT, the mean (SD) total costs were $566,373 ($621,179), $498,070 ($376,260), and $512,908 ($159,525) for 2L, 3L, and 4L+, respectively. ImplicationsThese findings suggest that adult patients with R/R B-ALL relapse frequently with standard of care and incur a substantial HRU and cost burden with each LoT. Those treated with blinatumomab or inotuzumab incurred higher total costs within each LoT compared with the overall R/R B-ALL cohort. Alternative therapies with longer duration of remission are urgently needed, and HRU should be considered for future studies examining the optimal sequencing of therapy.

Superomniphobic and Photoactive Surface Presents Antimicrobial Properties by Repelling and Killing Pathogens.

Healthcare-acquired infections place a significant burden on the cost and quality of patient care in hospitals. Reducing contamination on surfaces within healthcare environments is critical for halting the spread of these infections. Herein, we report a bifunctional─repel and kill─surface developed using photoactive TiO2 nanoparticles integrated into a hierarchical scaffold (OmniKill). To quantify the repellency of OmniKill, we developed a touch-based assay, capable of simulating the transfer of individual pathogens, multiple pathogens, or pathogen-latent fecal matter from hands to surfaces. OmniKill repels bacterial pathogens by at least 2.77-log (99.8%). The photoactive material within OmniKill further reduces the viability of transferred pathogens on the surface by an additional 2.43-log (99.6%) after 1 h of light exposure. The antipathogenic effects─repel and kill─remain robust under complex biological contaminates such as feces. These findings show the potential use of OmniKill in reducing the physical transmission of bacterial pathogens in healthcare settings.

Analysis of Hospital and INA-CBG’S Rates of JKN Outpatient in Genteng Regional Public Hospital in 2021

The Government's effort improves the health status of the Indonesian people by establishing a Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN). JKN’s program was formed by Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial Kesehatan (BPJS Kesehatan). Payment of health costs by BPJS uses the Indonesian-Case Based Group (INA-CBG's) especially for advanced health care services. INA-CBG's is payment to the main health center for a predetermined service package according to the disease diagnosis category. This makes hospitals strive to continue providing quality health services to JKN patients while still controlling costs. The aim of this research is analyze the difference between the outpatient BPJS patient rates and INA-CBG's rates at the Genteng Regional General Hospital in 2021. The research method is a retrospective observational study with simple random sampling. The total sample was 400 obtained during the period January to December 2021. The results of the research showed that the hospital rates was IDR 105,995,056 and the INA-CBG's rates was IDR 89,484,300. It was known that there were three largest cost components including drugs (drugs and chronic drugs) was IDR 51,878,574 (48.70%); patient care costs was IDR 33,980,600 (24.65%); and consultation fee was IDR. 10,400,000 (9.40%). The three largest components of hospital rates included minor chronic disease procedures and dialysis procedures. The conclusion was hospital rates are greater than INA-CBG's rates.

CT FFR in stable heart disease and Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography helps improve patient care and societal costs

Abstract Background NHS England (NHSE) has advocated Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA) as the first line diagnostic test for suspected symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) since NICE Guidance in 2016 and CT Fractional Flow Reserve (CT FFR) as a second line test since 2017. In 2018 a national health technology programme funded CT FFR utilisation with the aim of improving patient pathways and reducing costs. Purpose To determine whether the introduction of a new technology (CT FFR) into the national health system improved patient care. Methods A multi-centre, observational analytic cohort study of all patients that underwent CCTA at 25 NHSE sites for the assessment of CAD over a 3-year period (April 2017- March 2020). Sites and patients were categorised as pre or post CT FFR health technology introduction. Clinical outcomes (all-cause death, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, revascularization) and resource utilization (downstream cardiac tests) were assessed at 2 years from NHS digital health records. Results 90,573 patients (Age 58.1±13.2, 51.9% male, 48.1% female), received 96,353 CCTA and 8,831 CT FFR as a second line test. Clinical characteristics were well matched between the 2 study groups (Figure 1). Results are presented as pre-CT FFR vs post-CT FFR with Odds Ratio (95% CI) for Post-CT FFR. No difference was observed for all-cause mortality (n=1135 (3.2%) vs 1627 (3.0%); OR 0.93 (0.86, 1.01), p=0.07) or Myocardial infarction events (n=348 (1.0%) vs 597 (1.1%); OR 1.12 (0.98, 1.28), p=0.10). Cardiovascular mortality was lower in the post CT FFR population (n=466 (1.3%) vs 628 (1.1%); OR 0.88 (0.78, 0.99), p=0.03) with higher rates of percutaneous intervention (PCI) (n=1866 (5.2%) vs 3069 (5.6%); OR 1.07 (1.01, 1.14), p=0.02 but not CABG (n=669 (1.9%) vs 993 (1.8%); OR 0.97 (0.87, 1.07), p=0.48). Figure 2. Fewer cardiac downstream tests were performed post CT-FFR (n=6356 (17.8%) vs 8073 (14.7%), p&amp;lt;0.001) including fewer invasive coronary angiograms (ICA) (n=4128 (11.6%) vs 5437 (9.9%); OR 0.84 (0.81, 0.88), p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion The introduction of CT FFR as a new technology on a national scale as part of a health intervention programme resulted in fewer cardiac downstream tests including fewer ICA. There was an associated increase in PCI but not CABG rates. All-cause mortality rates did not differ over time but CV mortality was significantly lower in the post-CT FFR population at 2 years.

Economic burden and financial vulnerability of injuries among the elderly in Vietnam

Falls are a leading cause of death among elderly people. However, research on the cost of fall-related injuries is limited in Vietnam. We estimated treatment costs and associated factors among 405 elderly patients in Thai Binh hospitals. Costs were estimated through self-reported data on medical and non-medical expenses. Logistic regression and GLM were used to identify payment and affordability factors. Inpatient and outpatient care costs for fall-related injuries were US$98.06 and US$8.53, respectively. 11.85% of participants couldn’t pay for treatment. Payment ability and cost decline were linked to family income, medical history, and hospital stay length. Elderly with fall-related injuries in Vietnam experienced high costs and severe health issues. Primary healthcare services and communication campaigns should be strengthened to reduce disease burden and develop effective fall injury prevention strategies.

Abstract 15055: Annual Healthcare Costs After Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Results From a Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Introduction: Analysis of administrative data has helped to determine hospitalization costs related to acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in several countries, but estimating long-term costs of patient care after discharge is a more challenging task. Aims: To determine the direct annual costs related to the care of PE survivors based on data from a longitudinal cohort study performed at 17 German large-volume hospitals. Methods: The Follow-up of Acute Pulmonary Embolism (FOCUS) study enrolled unselected patients with acute PE. In addition to a structured ambulatory follow-up (FU) program (Figure) , we prospectively recorded duration and type of anticoagulation and the main and accompanying causes of all rehospitalizations during the first year of FU. Annual per-patient costs of post-PE care were calculated in 2022 euro (є) and converted to US$ adjusting for purchase parity power. Results: A total of 1,017 patients (45% women; median age 64 years [IQR, 52-74]) were included. Average costs of scheduled ambulatory FU visits and tests were estimated at є136.37 ($189.40) per patient; costs of oral anticoagulation after hospital discharge for the index event amounted to є827.72 ($1,149.61). The annual all-cause hospitalization rate was 31.96% (95% CI, 28.0-35.91%); the Table shows the primary indications and mean hospital costs (overall, and per indication). Of the є1,104.48 ($1,534.0) average rehospitalization costs per patient, 8.9% were related to recurrent thrombosis/PE or bleeding. Conclusions: Our results, derived from the population of a prospective multicenter study, help to dissect the direct annual costs of chronic post-PE care and may inform ambulatory care programs.

Health care costs of cardiovascular disease in China: a machine learning-based cross-sectional study.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes substantial financial burden to patients with the condition, their households, and the healthcare system in China. Health care costs for treating patients with CVD vary significantly, but little is known about the factors associated with the cost variation. This study aims to identify and rank key determinants of health care costs in patients with CVD in China and to assess their effects on health care costs. Data were from a survey of patients with CVD from 14 large tertiary grade-A general hospitals in S City, China, between 2018 and 2020. The survey included information on demographic characteristics, health conditions and comorbidities, medical service utilization, and health care costs. We used re-centered influence function regression to examine health care cost concentration, decomposing and estimating the effects of relevant factors on the distribution of costs. We also applied quantile regression forests-a machine learning approach-to identify the key factors for predicting the 10th (low), 50th (median), and 90th (high) quantiles of health care costs associated with CVD treatment. Our sample included 28,213 patients with CVD. The 10th, 50th and 90th quantiles of health care cost for patients with CVD were 6,103 CNY, 18,105 CNY, and 98,637 CNY, respectively. Patients with high health care costs were more likely to be older, male, and have a longer length of hospital stay, more comorbidities, more complex medical procedures, and emergency admissions. Higher health care costs were also associated with specific CVD types such as cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and stroke. Machine learning methods are useful tools to identify determinants of health care costs for patients with CVD in China. Findings may help improve policymaking to alleviate the financial burden of CVD, particularly among patients with high health care costs.

The measure of impact: Proposal of quality metrics for solid organ transplant pharmacy practice

As healthcare continues its transition toward value-based care, it is increasingly important for transplant pharmacists to demonstrate their impact on patient care, health-related outcomes, and healthcare costs. Evidence-based quality and performance metrics are recognized as crucial tools for measuring the value of service. Yet, there is a lack of well-developed and agreed-upon specific metrics for many clinical pharmacy specialties, including solid organ transplantation. To address this need, a panel of transplant pharmacy specialists conducted a detailed literature review and engaged in several panel discussions to identify quality metrics to be considered for assessing the value of clinical pharmacy services provided to solid organ transplant recipients and living donors. The proposed metrics are based on the Donabedian model and are categorized to coincide with the typical phases of transplant care. The measures focus on key issues that arise in transplant recipients related to medication therapy, including adverse drug events, nonadherence, and clinical outcomes attributable to medication therapy management. This article proposes a comprehensive set of measures, any number of which transplant pharmacists can adopt and measure over time to objectively gauge the value of services they are providing to transplant recipients, the transplant center, and the overall healthcare system.

Iron Deficiency Anemia: The Impact of Intravenous Iron Replacement Treatment on Health Care Costs

INTRODUCTION: An estimated 5 million patients in the United States have iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Although most patients with IDA initiate treatment with oral iron therapy, IV iron replacement therapy is often required in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases such as cancer, heart failure (HF) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). The 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA recommends IV iron as a treatment option for patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction and iron deficiency with or without anemia. There is limited real-world data on the economic value of IV iron treatment. This study examined health care costs for patients treated with ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and patients treated with low-dose IV iron therapy in the populations with cancer, HF or CKD. METHODS: This study included commercial and Medicare Advantage patients from the Optum Research Database, a large, national United States administrative claims database. Patients were included if they were treated with IV iron therapy from 2017 to 2019; the first treatment date was the index date. Patient were required to have cancer, HF, or CKD in addition to an IDA diagnosis. Continuous enrollment was required for a 6-month baseline and 12-month follow-up period (with patients retained if they had &amp;lt;12 months due to death). Cohorts were classified based on index date treatment: FCM patients received ferric carboxymaltose; low-dose IV iron patients were treated with iron sucrose, iron dextran, or sodium ferric gluconate complex in sucrose. Follow-up all-cause total costs were compared using generalized linear models, and inpatient costs estimated with 2-part models to account for patients with no hospitalizations. Models adjusted for age, gender, geographic region, plan type, index year, comorbidity score, and baseline health care cost. Sensitivity analyses compared FCM with the subgroup treated with iron sucrose. RESULTS: Cancer population: Of 10,763 cancer patients meeting eligibility criteria, 5,892 patients received FCM, and 4,871 patients received low-dose IV iron. Within the low-dose IV iron cohort, 3,040 patients (62%) received iron sucrose. The meanadjusted all-cause total cost was similar between FCM and low-dose IV iron (cost ratio 0.97; p=0.182) and significantly lower for FCM vs. iron sucrose (cost ratio 0.92; p=0.001). Adjusted all-cause inpatient costs for FCM were lower compared to low-dose IV iron due to lower risk of hospitalization (odds ratio 0.79, p&amp;lt;0.001) and reduced inpatient costs if hospitalized (cost ratio 0.88; p&amp;lt;0.001); results were similar versus iron sucrose (p&amp;lt;0.001). HF population: Of 8,337 HF patients, 3,364 patients received FCM, and 4,973 patients received low-dose IV iron therapy. Within the low-dose IV iron cohort, 3,471 patients (70%) received iron sucrose. All-cause total cost for FCM was similar to low-dose IV iron (cost ratio 0.97, p=0.198) but significantly lower for iron sucrose (0.95, p=0.024) during follow-up period. All-cause inpatient cost was also lower for FCM compared to lose-dose IV iron (odds ratio 0.76; cost ratio 0.88; p&amp;lt;0.001) and iron sucrose (odds ratio 0.79; cost ratio 0.85; p&amp;lt;0.001). CKD population: Of 10,617 CKD patients, 4,377 patients received FCM, and 6,240 patients received low-dose IV iron. Within the low-dose IV iron cohort, 4,584 patients (73%) received iron sucrose. During the follow-up period, the mean adjusted all cause total cost was significantly lower for FCM compared to low-dose IV iron (cost ratio 0.94; p=0.006) and iron sucrose (cost ratio 0.93; p=0.004). All-cause inpatient cost was also lower for FCM compared to low-dose IV iron (odds ratio 0.75; cost ratio 0.84; p&amp;lt;0.001) and iron sucrose (odds ratio 0.75; cost ratio 0.89; p&amp;lt;0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despitethe higher drug acquisition cost ofFCM relative to low-dose IV iron, the drug price differential was offset by lower inpatient cost incurred in the FCM group. This resulted in similar all-cause total health care costs between FCM and low-dose IV iron in cancer and heart failure patients and lower total cost for FCM compared to low-dose IV iron in CKD patients. These results were more pronounced when comparing FCM with iron sucrose; the FCM group consistently had statistically lower total costs than iron sucrose in patients with cancer, HF and CKD. These findings suggest FCM's potential economic benefit in reducing in inpatient utilization and associated costs to patients and health plans than the low-dose IV iron products.