Difference In Total Costs Research Articles

O-130 Initiation of ovarian stimulation in the late follicular phase, a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Study question Does late follicular phase stimulation yield similar outcomes compared with conventional early follicular phase stimulation in a GnRH antagonist protocol in oocyte donors? Summary answer Late follicular phase stimulation is not inferior in terms of number of oocytes compared to early follicular phase stimulation in a GnRH antagonist protocol. What is known already In patients undergoing fertility preservation for medical reasons, late follicular phase stimulation has been effectively used, resulting in similar numbers of total and mature oocytes obtained, oocyte maturation rate, mature oocyte yield, and fertilization rates compared to conventional early follicular phase ovarian stimulation. Because of LH suppression by endogenous progesterone in the luteal phase, there is less need for the use of a GnRH antagonist. Study design, size, duration This is an open label, phase 3, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial using a two-arm design with 1:1 allocation ratio. The study included 71 oocyte donors between 18 and 36 years, with a regular menstrual cycle length and BMI 19-35 kg/m2, who underwent ovarian stimulation between November 2018 and May 2022. Patients were allocated to either early follicular start (Group A, n = 36), or to late follicular start (Group B, n = 35). Participants/materials, setting, methods In Group A, patients followed a fixed GnRH antagonist protocol with r-FSH 225IU daily. In Group B, r-FSH 225IU daily was initiated when a dominant follicle and late follicular hormonal values were observed, a GnRH antagonist was added if serum LH-levels were >10IU/L. The primary outcome was number of cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs). Secondary endpoints included number of mature oocytes, consumption of gonadotropins, duration of ovarian stimulation, days of GnRH antagonist used, and cost of the stimulation. Main results and the role of chance Using an intention-to-treat analysis, the total number of oocytes did not differ between Group A and Group B (17.7±10.0 vs 17.2±9.1, p = 0.82, difference 0.49 ,95% CI (-4.04 to 5.03)). In the per protocol analysis, after excluding 4 patients, there was no difference between Group A and Group B (18.2±9.7 vs 18.8±7.8, p = 0.62, difference -0.6, 95% CI (-4.9 to 3.7)).The number of mature oocytes did not differ between Group A and Group B (14.1±8.1 vs 12.7±8.5, p = 0.48). In none of the treatment arms OHSS was observed. The duration of stimulation was shorter in Group A than in Group B (10.0±1.6 vs 10.9±1.5 days, p = 0.01). The total amount of r-FSH used was lower in group A than in Group B (2240.7±313.9 IU vs 2453.9±330.1 IU p = 0.008). A GnRH antagonist was used for approximately 6 days in Group A, while in group B, only in one patient a GnRH antagonist was prescribed for 4 days (6.0±1.4 days vs 0.13±0.7 days p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in total medication cost per cycle between both protocols (1147.9±182.8 € in Group A, vs 979.9±129.0 € in group B, p < 0.001), i.e. a cost reduction of 15% for Group B as compared with Group A. Limitations, reasons for caution A limitation of the study is the lack of embryology data. Because of adaptations in the oocyte donation program in our center over the years, this study contains a mix of fresh and frozen donation cycles, leading to a very heterogenous group, making correct interpretation of the embryology data difficult. Wider implications of the findings Late follicular phase stimulation is as efficient as early follicular phase stimulation in terms of number of oocytes. It is patient-friendly, with reduced cost and reduced number of injections. Trial registration number NCT03767218

Participatory Guarantee Systems, a more inclusive organic certification alternative? Unboxing certification costs and farm inspections in PGS based on a case study approach

The importance of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) as an alternative organic certification to third-party certification (TPC) has grown remarkably in recent years. PGS are argued to be less costly than TPC, and adopt the exchange of advice and knowledge as a key element of farm inspections. For these reasons, PGS are promoted as being more accessible for smallholder farmers in low-income countries and as a tool for supporting organic conversion and standard compliance, and ultimately contributing to food system sustainability. PGS certification costs have not yet been studied thoroughly and empirical studies on PGS farm inspections are rare. This paper applies a mixed-methods case study approach in a Costa Rican PGS initiative and explores explicit and implicit PGS certification costs and PGS farm inspections. The framework for assessing actor participation in PGS and transaction cost theory were used as the theoretical foundation. Semi-structured interviews (n = 10), PGS member surveys (n = 17), and participant observations of PGS farm inspections (n = 11) were conducted and complemented with data from internal documents and informal interviews. The results showed that reduced explicit costs for PGS certification were accompanied by substantial implicit costs in terms of the time dedicated to the PGS certification process. These implicit costs were largely attributed to the legal requirements for PGS, and were borne by only a few members, resulting in differences in total certification costs between PGS members. Despite legal formalization, information exchange was an important part of PGS farm inspections. Against the backdrop of small audit teams and low participation in farm inspections, PGS members implementing farm inspections nurtured transparency and an exchange of experience within the PGS. The study provides novel insight into PGS, and defines cost components and PGS characteristics affecting PGS certification costs that may also be relevant to other PGS initiatives and related fields of action.

The cost-effectiveness of an indicated blended care intervention in primary care compared to usual care in patients with moderate persistent somatic symptoms

IntroductionAppropriate treatment for people with an increased risk for developing chronic Persistent Somatic Symptoms (PSS) is of great importance at an early stage to improve quality of life and prevent high costs for society. ObjectiveTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an integrated blended care intervention compared to usual care for QALYs, subjective symptom impact and physical and mental health status in patients with moderate PSS. MethodsThis economic evaluation was conducted alongside a 12-month prospective, multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial in Dutch primary care. 80 participants received the intervention and 80 participants received usual care. Seemingly unrelated regression analyzes were performed to estimate cost and effect differences. Missing data were imputed using multiple imputation. Bootstrapping techniques were used to estimate uncertainty. ResultsWe found no significant difference in total societal costs. Intervention, primary and secondary healthcare and absenteeism costs were higher for the intervention group. The ICER for QALYs demonstrated the intervention was on average less costly and less effective compared to usual care. For the subjective symptom impact and physical health, the ICER indicated that the intervention group was on average less costly and more effective. For mental health, the intervention was on average more costly and less effective. ConclusionWe didn't find an integrated blended primary care intervention to be cost-effective compared to usual care. However, when looking on relevant, but specific outcome measures (subjective symptom impact and physical health) for this population, average costs are found to be lower and the effectiveness found to be higher.

Bariatric Surgery Performed at a Tertiary Care Hospital and an Ambulatory Hospital: A 5 Year Comparison of Outcomes, OR Efficiencies and Costs.

To explore change in 30-day post-operative complications, operative times, operating room (OR) efficiencies for bariatric surgery performed at a tertiary care hospital (TH) and an ambulatory hospital with overnight stay (AH) within one hospital network over 5years; and to compare perioperative costs at the TH and AH. We performed a retrospective analysis of existing data from a cohort of consecutive adult patients who underwent primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) between September 2016 and August 2021 at TH and AH. A total of 805 patients (762 LRYGB, 43 LSG) had surgery at AH, while 109 (92 LRYGB, 17 LSG) at TH. OR times for LRYGB and LSG performed at AH were significantly shorter versus TH (150 ± 24 vs 178 ± 51min; p < 0.01) and (123 ± 24 vs 147 ± 34min; p = 0.01). OR turnovers (19.2 ± 6.0min vs 28.1 ± 6.1min; p < 0.01) and Post Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU) times (2.4 ± 0.6h vs 3.1 ± 1.5h; p < 0.01) were significantly faster at AH versus TH. Proportion of patients requiring transfer for a complication from AH to TH remained constant over time (range 1.5-6.2%/year; p = 0.14). 30-day complication rates were similar between AH and TH (5.5-11% vs 0-15%; p = 0.12). LRYGB and LSG costs were similar between AH and TH (8,855 ± 1,328CAD vs 8,799 ± 2,729CAD; p = 0.91 and 8,763 ± 1,449CAD vs 7,857 ± 1,825CAD; p = 0.41). There was no difference in 30-day post-operative complications for LRYGB and LSG performed at AH and TH. Performing bariatric surgery at AH has the benefit of improved OR efficiency without a significant difference in total perioperative costs.

P-001 RISK FACTORS, HEALTHCARE RESOURCE USE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH INCISIONAL HERNIA REPAIR IN ENGLAND USING HOSPITAL EPISODE STATISTICS

Abstract Aim To evaluate the burden of incisional hernia (IH) to patients and healthcare services in England. Material &amp; Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study in Hospital Episode Statistics including adult patients who underwent stoma, transplant, or aortic surgery (index) between 01/04/2017 and 31/03/2022. We followed patients for development of incisional (including parastomal) hernia necessitating repair within 2 years post-index operation, describing patients by surgery type, number of comorbidities (prior abdominal surgery, chronic lung disease, diabetes, immunosuppressed status, obesity, smoker), and financial year. We evaluated costs associated with inpatient, outpatient, and Accident &amp; Emergency attendances within 2 years post-index operation using National Health Service reference costs. Results Of 430,339 patients (132,584 stoma, 3,247 transplant, 294,508 aortic surgery), 24,949 developed IH requiring repair (6.74% overall, 13.74% stoma, 5.51% transplant, 2.80% aortic surgery). Operative IH was observed in 11.46%, 5.54%, and 1.94%, for patients with 0–2 comorbidities following stoma, transplant, and aortic surgery, respectively; for patients with 5–6 comorbidities, 29.70%, 5.97%, and 6.91% underwent repair of IH. For all years, costs were higher for patients with IH versus those without IH. Costs varied by surgery type and number of comorbidities and were driven by non-elective admissions. The difference in mean total costs for IH versus non-IH following surgery performed in 2017 was £16,350 for stoma, £19,268 for transplant, and £54,518 for aortic surgery. Conclusions Rates of IH repair increase alongside the number of comorbidities. A large number of patients require IH repair within 2 years of surgery, increasing the cost of care.

A Payer-Provider Partnership for Endocrine Targeted Automatic eConsults: Implementation and Early Impact on Diabetes and Cost Outcomes.

In the United States, many individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) do not achieve treatment goals despite the availability of effective interventions. Provider clinical inertia is one cause of these unfavorable outcomes. Targeted automatic eConsults (TACos) are an emerging technology-based intervention with potential to address clinical inertia in primary care (PC). TACos prospectively identify at-risk patients and use unsolicited specialist recommendations to prompt treatment intensification. Through a payer-provider collaboration, a TACos intervention was piloted for adults with uncontrolled DM (HbA1c >8%) to understand impact on DM clinical inertia and outcomes. Clinical inertia was assessed by measuring whether a PC provider implemented recommended therapeutic changes. Six-month changes in HbA1c and health care costs per member per month were evaluated using an observational matched design and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. The analysis included 196 individuals who received a TACos between February 2021 and August 2021 (ITT group) matched to 392 controls based on clinical and demographic criteria. TACos recommendations were implemented 65% of the time. Median percent change in HbA1c was significantly greater for the ITT group versus controls (-10.9% vs. -10.2%; P = 0.0359). Median total costs were 7.9% lower in the ITT group (P = 0.0900). A per protocol analysis was done to examine effects between ITT group individuals with an implemented TACos recommendation (n = 126) and controls. Median percent change in HbA1c was significantly greater (-19.5% vs. -10.2%; P < 0.0001), but there was no difference in total costs (-7.9%; P = 0.1753). TACos may feasibly address clinical inertia in PC and improve HbA1c for uncontrolled DM.

Regional differences in total hospital costs for radical cystectomy in the United States

ObjectivesTo test for regional differences in total hospital costs (THC) across the United States in bladder cancer patients treated with open radical cystectomy (ORC) or robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). MaterialsWe relied on the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2016–2019) and stratified RC patients according to census region (Midwest, Northeast, South, West). Primary statistical analyses consisted of THC-trend analyses and multivariable log-link linear regression models, after adjustment for hospital clustering (Generalized Estimating Equation function) and discharge disposition weighting. Finally, sensitivity analysis, relying on most favorable patient cohort, was performed. ResultsOf 5280 eligible patients, 1441 (27%), 1031 (20%), 1854 (35%) and 954 (18%) underwent RC in the Midwest, Northeast, South and West, respectively. Median THC was 28,915$ and differed significantly between regions (Midwest: 28,105$; Northeast: 28,886$; South: 26,096$; West: 38,809$; p < 0.001). After stratification between ORC and RARC, highest THC was invariably recorded in the West: ORC 36,137$ vs 23,941–28,850$ and RARC 43,119$ vs 28,425–29,952$ (both p < 0.05). In multivariable log-link linear regression models, surgery in the West was independently associated with higher THC: ORC (Exponent beta [Exp[β]]: 1.39; 95%-CI: 1.32–1.47; p < 0.001) and RARC (Exp[β]: 1.46; 95%-CI: 1.38–1.55; p < 0.001). Results remained unchanged when analyses were refitted in most favorable patient subgroup. ConclusionsImportant regional differences in ORC and RARC THC distinguish the West from other United States regions. The THC discrepancy clearly requires closer examination to identify underlying processes that contribute to inflated costs in the West.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of (accelerated) pre-operative versus (conventional) post-operative radiotherapy for patients with oral cavity cancer in Sweden

BackgroundTreatment for resectable oral cavity cancer (OCC) often includes combinations of surgery and radiotherapy (RT), but there is no conclusive information on the preferred treatment order. The aim of this study was to assess the costs and cost-effectiveness of two alternative treatment regimens for patients with OCC, reflecting pre- and post-operative RT, from a societal perspective.MethodsThe study used data from the ARTSCAN 2 randomised controlled trial, which compares pre-operative accelerated RT with post-operative conventionally fractionated RT. Two-hundred-forty patients were included in the analysis of treatment outcomes. Direct costs were retrieved from the hospital’s economic systems, while indirect costs were obtained from national registries. Cost-effectiveness was assessed and a sensitivity analysis was performed. Overall survival (OS) at 5 years, was used as effect measure in the analysis.ResultsTwo-hundred-nine patients completed the treatments and had retrievable data on costs. Mean direct costs (inpatient and outpatient care) were € 47,377 for pre-operative RT and € 39,841 for post-operative RT (p = 0.001), while corresponding indirect costs were € 19,854 and € 20,531 (p = 0.89). The incremental cost, i.e., the mean difference in total cost between the treatment regimens, was € 6859 paralleled with a 14-percentage point lower OS-rate at 5 years for pre-operative RT (i.e., 58 vs. 72%). Thus, pre-operative RT was dominated by post-operative RT.ConclusionsFrom a societal perspective, post-operative RT for patients with resectable OCC is the dominant strategy compared to pre-operative RT.

Abstract P1-10-13: Economic comparison of standard external beam whole breast (WBI) versus accelerated partial breast irradiation (ABPI) in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer. Results from the French SHARE randomized trial

Abstract Purpose: The economic evaluation reports the incremental cost utility ratio and budget impact of APBI vs standard external beam WBI for the treatment of post-menopausal women with early stage breast cancer. Methods and materials: We compared 488 women in the standard arm (1 fraction per day delivered 5 days per week over 3 or 6/6.5 weeks) to 490 women in the ABPI arm (ten fractions delivered twice per day over one week). We took the perspective of the healthcare system, a 3-year time horizon; the outcomes were quality adjusted life years (QALYs). QALYs were calculated from the EQ5D5L questionnaires at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and yearly after irradiation; scores were converted into utilities using the French value set and QALYs computed with the area under the curve approach. Measures of within-trial use of hospital resources were based on routine hospital data via patient-level information. We used the itemized and DRG cost data from each individual patient. Transportation costs were added in a sensitivity analysis. A 2.5% discount rate was applied to costs and QALYs. An incremental analysis with differences in costs and QALYs was performed to calculate the cost utility ratio. Bootstrapping was used to quantify uncertainty on the joint distribution of costs and outcomes, and 1,000 paired estimates of mean differential costs and QALYs were reported on a cost-effectiveness plane. A budget impact analysis based on incidence of breast cancer estimates was added. All analyses followed the intent to treat principle. Results: Cost and utilities were available for the entire population. Costs and QALY results are presented in table 1. The 2 925 € (95% IC, -3 364 €; - 2 452 €) significant difference in total costs favoring ABPI was driven by the difference in radiotherapy costs and partly by lower transportation costs. No significant difference was found in QALYs. Figure 1 shows the uncertainty of the joint distribution of costs and QALYs. All replication are in the lower half of the plane indicating that ABPI is cost saving with QALYs distributed on each side of the vertical axis indicating equal distribution of QALYs. would be eligible for treatment with ABPI. The uptake of ABPI for 16% of these women would result in a 16 million€ cost saving. Conclusions: At three years, ABPI for the treatment of postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer was found to be cost saving, with no difference in outcome measured by QALYs. Table 1. Figure 1. Citation Format: Alicia Le Bras, Yazid Belkacemi, céline Bourgier, Isabelle Gabelle-Flandin, Adeline Petit, Philippe Guilbert, Julien Geffrelot, Christian Carrie, Eleonor RIVIN DEL CAMPO, Chantal Hanzen, claire charra-brunaud, Guillaume Auzac, Thomas Lacornerie, Jérôme Lemonnier, Eric Lartigau, Isabelle Durand-Zaleski. Economic comparison of standard external beam whole breast (WBI) versus accelerated partial breast irradiation (ABPI) in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer. Results from the French SHARE randomized trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-10-13.

Seasonal exergoeconomic assessment and optimization of a dual-fuel trigeneration system of power, cooling, heating, and domestic hot water, proposed for Tabriz, Iran

Exergoeconomic assessment of a multigeneration system, which is fed with a mixture of natural gas and syngas produced from municipal solid waste gasification process, has been conducted under climatic restrictions of both hot and cold seasons. In the basic state of the 1st scenario, for the constant net power of 30 MW and 50% mixing ratio, exergy efficiency and total cost rate of the system are 27.92% and 1328 USD/h in summer, and 33.81% and 1246 USD/h, in winter, respectively. Moreover, the total relative cost difference in the summer is considerably higher than that in the winter. In the basic state of the 2nd scenario, for the constant fuel mass flow rate of 1.5 kg/s, the system's annual exergy efficiency, annual total cost rate, and payback period are 30.79%, 1166.4 USD/h, and 2 years, respectively. The optimization has been performed based on the genetic algorithm considering two objective functions. The optimization results revealed that, the system's annual exergy efficiency and annual total cost rate got improved from 30.79% to 32.37%, and from 1166.4 USD/h to 796.52 USD/h, respectively, while the payback period increases from 2 to 2.1 years. The complete results of parametric studies are also provided for both scenarios.

Comparison Study of the Actual Method and the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) Method in Controlling Food Raw Materials Inventories at Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis Resort &amp; Golf

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) method in inventory control, in terms of inventory profitability and non-financial performance (production efficiency, timely delivery, product quality). The research is descriptive with a quantitative approach. This study calculates the optimal inventory raw materials of chicken, beef, and lamb. The EOQ is more optimal and efficient, showed by the ordering cost difference is Rp 702,000,-, the total storage cost difference is Rp 2,863,917, -, the difference between the total purchase cost is Rp 57,278,334, -, and the difference in the total cost of inventory is Rp. 3,565,917,-. By using the EOQ method, Royal Tulip can save a total cost of Rp 64,410,168,-.

Cost-effectiveness of ravulizumab compared with eculizumab for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in the Netherlands.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ravulizumab compared with eculizumab for the treatment of adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in the Netherlands. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted based on a Markov cohort model simulating the course of patients with PNH with clinical symptom(s) indicative of high disease activity, or who are clinically stable after having been treated with eculizumab for at least the past sixmonths. Costs, quality of life, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were estimated over a lifetime horizon from a Dutch societal perspective. Several additional analyses were performed, including a one-way sensitivity analysis, a probabilistic sensitivity analysis, and scenario analysis. When compared with eculizumab, ravulizumab saves €266,833 and 1.57 quality adjusted life years (QALYs) are gained, resulting in a dominant ICER. Drug costs account for the majority of the total costs in both intervention groups. Cost savings were driven by the difference in total treatment costs of ravulizumab compared with eculizumab caused by the reduced administration frequency, accounting for 98% of the total cost savings. The QALY gain with ravulizumab is largely attributable to the improved quality of life associated with less frequent infusions and BTH events. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of €20,000/QALY, there is a 76.6% probability that ravulizumab would be cost-effective. The cost reduction and QALY gain associated with the lower rates of BTH and less frequent administration make ravulizumab a cost-saving and clinically beneficial substitute for eculizumab for adults with PNH in the Netherlands.

Cost-effectiveness of Laparoscopic vs Open Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

Laparoscopic gastrectomy is rapidly being adopted worldwide as an alternative to open gastrectomy to treat gastric cancer. However, laparoscopic gastrectomy might be more expensive as a result of longer operating times and more expensive surgical materials. To date, the cost-effectiveness of both procedures has not been prospectively evaluated in a randomized clinical trial. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic compared with open gastrectomy. In this multicenter randomized clinical trial of patients undergoing total or distal gastrectomy in 10 Dutch tertiary referral centers, cost-effectiveness data were collected alongside a multicenter randomized clinical trial on laparoscopic vs open gastrectomy for resectable gastric adenocarcinoma (cT1-4aN0-3bM0). A modified societal perspective and 1-year time horizon were used. Costs were calculated on the individual patient level by using hospital registry data and medical consumption and productivity loss questionnaires. The unit costs of laparoscopic and open gastrectomy were calculated bottom-up. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated with the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire, in which a value of 0 indicates death and 1 indicates perfect health. Missing questionnaire data were imputed with multiple imputation. Bootstrapping was performed to estimate the uncertainty surrounding the cost-effectiveness. The study was conducted from March 17, 2015, to August 20, 2018. Data analyses were performed between September 1, 2020, and November 17, 2021. Laparoscopic vs open gastrectomy. Evaluations in this cost-effectiveness analysis included total costs and QALYs. Between 2015 and 2018, 227 patients were included. Mean (SD) age was 67.5 (11.7) years, and 140 were male (61.7%). Unit costs for initial surgery were calculated to be €8124 (US $8087) for laparoscopic total gastrectomy, €7353 (US $7320) for laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, €6584 (US $6554) for open total gastrectomy, and €5893 (US $5866) for open distal gastrectomy. Mean total costs after 1-year follow-up were €26 084 (US $25 965) in the laparoscopic group and €25 332 (US $25 216) in the open group (difference, €752 [US $749; 3.0%]). Mean (SD) QALY contributions during 1 year were 0.665 (0.298) in the laparoscopic group and 0.686 (0.288) in the open group (difference, -0.021). Bootstrapping showed that these differences between treatment groups were relatively small compared with the uncertainty of the analysis. Although the laparoscopic gastrectomy itself was more expensive, after 1-year follow-up, results suggest that differences in both total costs and effectiveness were limited between laparoscopic and open gastrectomy. These results support centers' choosing, based on their own preference, whether to (de)implement laparoscopic gastrectomy as an alternative to open gastrectomy.

Comparison of the effects of sugammadex versus neostigmine for reversal of neuromuscular block on hospital costs of care

BackgroundSugammadex reversal of neuromuscular block facilitates recovery of neuromuscular function after surgery, but the drug is expensive. We evaluated the effects of sugammadex on hospital costs of care. MethodsWe analysed 79 474 adult surgical patients who received neuromuscular blocking agents and reversal from two academic healthcare networks between 2016 and 2021 to calculate differences in direct costs. We matched our data with data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample (HCUP–NIS) to calculate differences in total costs in US dollars. Perioperative risk profiles were defined based on ASA physical status and admission status (ambulatory surgery vs hospitalisation). ResultsBased on our registry data analysis, administration of sugammadex vs neostigmine was associated with lower direct costs (–1.3% lower costs; 95% confidence interval [CI], –0.5 to –2.2%; P=0.002). In the HCUP-NIS matched cohort, sugammadex use was associated with US$232 lower total costs (95% CI, –US$376 to –US$88; P=0.002). Subgroup analysis revealed that sugammadex was associated with US$1042 lower total costs (95% CI, –US$1198 to –US$884; P<0.001) in patients with lower risk. In contrast, sugammadex was associated with US$620 higher total costs (95% CI, US$377 to US$865; P<0.001) in patients with a higher risk (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status ≥3 and preoperative hospitalisation). ConclusionsThe effects of using sugammadex on costs of care depend on patient risk, defined based on comorbidities and admission status. We observed lower costs of care in patients with lower risk and higher costs of care in hospitalised surgical patients with severe comorbidities.

919. Let’s GO PO: Impact of Monthly Feedback on a Longitudinal Intravenous to Oral Antimicrobial Conversion Initiative

Abstract Background Timely conversion of antimicrobials from intravenous (IV) to oral (PO) route has been shown to decrease costs and length of stay (LOS) without compromising safety and efficacy of therapy. Use of oral antimicrobials may additionally prevent complications related to IV catheters, such as infection, emboli, and patient discomfort. An approved IV to PO policy allowed pharmacists to convert orders for fourteen included antimicrobials and eligible patients at time of order verification. Methods This single-center, retrospective, comparative study was conducted at AdventHealth Orlando, a 1,368-bed community teaching hospital in central Florida. In November 2020, six clinical pharmacist teams began receiving monthly feedback on IV to PO conversion rates in the form of a RePOrt Card, containing IV to PO conversion rates compared to other clinical teams, individual antimicrobial conversion rates, and comparison to prior team progress (Figure 1). RePOrt Cards were provided through October 2021. This study compared pre-intervention days of therapy (DOTs) of antimicrobials from November 2019-October 2020 to post-intervention DOTs from November 2020 to March 2022. The primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of monthly, team-based feedback on percentage of antimicrobials administered orally during a pharmacist-driven IV to PO stewardship initiative. Figure 1Example RePOrt Card Results Significantly more DOTs were administered orally in the post intervention group (62% vs 67%, p=0.0012). Positive change in oral conversion rates was observed for all agents except linezolid, minocycline, and voriconazole (Table 1). The largest increase in percentage of DOT administered orally was observed for azithromycin (20%), rifampin (14%), and metronidazole (10%). Estimated monthly and total cost differences are available in Table 2. Minocycline represents the largest opportunity missed; while oral conversion rates remained the same, an increase in overall drug use creates opportunity to continue to prioritize oral conversion due to high cost. Conclusion Monthly, team-based feedback positively impacted IV to PO conversion rates. Opportunities remain to optimize cost benefits in high-cost agents such as linezolid, minocycline, and voriconazole. Disclosures Amy L. Carr, PharmD, BCIDP, Shionogi: Advisory Board.

Cost-Effectiveness of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Adapted to Primary Care.

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of a pragmatic trial of comprehensive geriatric assessment adapted to primary care, compared with care as usual. Within-trial cost-effectiveness study of a prospective controlled multicenter trial. Nineteen primary care practices in Sweden. The original trial included 1304 individuals aged ≥75years at high risk of hospitalization selected using a prediction model. From the original trial, 369 individuals participated in the cost-effectiveness analysis, 185 in the intervention group and 184 in the control group. Mean age was 83.9years and 57% of the participants were men. We obtained health care costs from administrative registries. Community costs and health-related quality of life data were obtained from a questionnaire sent to participants. Health-related quality of life was measured using EQ-5D-3L and quality-adjusted life years were calculated. We analyzed all outcomes according to intention to treat, and adjusted them to age, gender, and risk score (risk of hospitalization in the next 12months). The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio associated with the intervention at follow-up after 24months. The difference in total cost (incremental cost) between intervention and control groups was USD-11,275 (95% CI-407 to-22,142). The incremental effect in quality-adjusted life years was-0.05 (95% CI-0.17 to 0.08). In the cost-effectiveness plane that illustrates the uncertainty of the analysis, 77.9 of the observations were within the south-east quadrant, implying lower cost and greater effect in the intervention group. The results suggests that a primary care comprehensive geriatric assessment intervention delivered to older adults at high risk of hospitalization is cost-effective at follow-up after 24months. The use of a prediction model to select participants and an intervention with a low cost is promising but requires further study.

Economic Impact of Transformation to Acute Myeloid Leukemia Among Actively Managed Patients with Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes in the United States.

Transformation of higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may be associated with increased healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs. To describe this economic impact, HCRU and costs were compared between US patients who experienced transformation to AML and those who did not. Using the Optum administrative claims data, this retrospective matched cohort study identified patients (≥ 18years old) with higher-risk MDS who initiated first-line therapy between January 1, 2008, and June 30, 2019. Patients whose disease transformed to AML were matched 1:1 to patients whose disease did not transform, based on the duration of follow-up. The follow-up period was divided into two periods: pre- (before transformation to AML) and post-AML (after transformation to AML). For patients who did not transform to AML, pre- and post-AML periods were determined using the transformation date of their matched pair. HCRU and total adjusted costs (2019 US dollars, $) were compared between patients who transformed to AML and those who did not. A total of 118 matched patient pairs were included in the study. The hospitalization rate was significantly higher in patients who transformed than in those who did not during the entire follow-up (58.8% vs. 44.1%; P = 0.0295) and post-AML (47.5% vs. 28.0%; P = 0.0028) periods. Across all periods, supportive care use was significantly higher among patients who transformed to AML vs. patients who did not transform. Adjusted mean monthly costs for patients with higher-risk MDS who transformed to AML were higher than those who did not transform ($25,964 vs. $19,150; P < 0.0001). The observed total cost difference was more notable in the post-AML period ($36,424 vs. $14,860; P < 0.0001). Patients with higher-risk MDS whose disease transformed to AML incurred significantly higher healthcare costs compared to those whose disease did not transform, highlighting the important need for treatments that prevent or delay transformation.

Examination of Impact of After-Hours Admissions on Hospital Resource Use, Patient Outcomes, and Costs.

Nighttime and weekends in hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) contexts are thought to present a greater risk for adverse events than daytime admissions. Although some studies exist comparing admission time with patient outcomes, the results are contradictory. No studies currently exist comparing costs with the time of admission. We investigated the differences in-hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, ICU mortality, and cost between daytime and nighttime admissions. All adult patients (≥18 years of age) admitted to a large academic medical-surgical ICU between 2011 and 2015 were included. Admission cohorts were defined as daytime (8:00-16:59) or nighttime (17:00-07:59). Student's t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to test for associations between days spent in the ICU, days on mechanical ventilation, comorbidities, diagnoses, and cohort membership. Regression analysis was used to test for associations between patient and hospitalization characteristics and in-hospital mortality and total ICU costs. The majority of admissions occurred during nighttime hours (69.5%) with no difference in the overall Elixhauser comorbidity score between groups (p=0.22). Overall ICU length of stay was 7.96 days for daytime admissions compared to 7.07 days (p=0.001) for patients admitted during nighttime hours. Overall mortality was significantly higher in daytime admissions (22.5% vs 20.6, p=0.012); however, ICU mortality was not different. The average MODS was 2.9 with those admitted during the daytime having a significantly higher MODS (3.0, p=0.046). Total ICU cost was significantly higher for daytime admissions (p=0.003). Adjusted ICU mortality was similar in both groups despite an increased rate of adverse events for nighttime admissions. Daytime admissions were associated with increased cost. There was no difference in all hospital total cost or all hospital direct cost between groups. These findings are likely due to the higher severity of illness in daytime admissions. Daytime admissions were associated with a higher severity of illness, mortality rate, and ICU cost. To further account for the effect of staffing differences during off-hours, it may be beneficial to compare weekday and weeknight admission times with associated mortality rates.

Collection of economic data using UB-04s: Is it worth the effort? Evidence from two clinical trials.

Cost collection using UB-04 forms for economic evaluation is challenging, as UB-04 collection is time and effort intensive and compliance is imperfect. Alternative data sources could overcome those challenges. The objective of this study is to determine the usefulness of UB-04 data in estimating hospital costs compared to clinical case report form (CRF) data. Health care utilization costs were compared from financial information in UB-04s and from an assignment process using CRF data, from the WRAP-IT (23 infections) and the Micra IDE trials (61 adverse events and 108 implants). Charge-based costs were calculated by multiplying charges in UB-04s and hospital-specific Cost-to-Charge ratios from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services cost reports. The cost assignment process used clinical information to find comparable encounters in real world data and assigned an average cost. Paired difference tests evaluated whether both methods yield similar results. The mean difference in total infection related costs between methods in the WRAP-IT trial was $152 +/-$22,565. In the Micra IDE trial, the mean difference in total adverse event related costs between methods was -$355 +/-$8,298 while the mean difference in total implant related costs between methods was $-3,488 +/-$13,859. Wilcoxon tests and generalized linear models could not reject the difference in costs between methods in the first two cases. Cost assignment methods achieve results similar to costs obtained through UB-04s, without the additional investment in time and effort. The use of UB-04 information for services that are not mature in a health care system may present unexpected challenges, necessitating a tradeoff with other methods of cost assignment.

Influence of heart transplant allocation changes on hospital resource utilization

ObjectivesThe 2018 change in the heart transplant allocation system resulted in greater use of temporary mechanical circulatory support. We hypothesized that the allocation change has increased hospital resource utilization, including length of stay and cost. MethodsAll heart transplant patients within a regional Society of Thoracic Surgeons database were included (2012-2020). Patients were stratified before and after the transplant allocation changes into early (January 2012-September 2018) and late eras (November 2018-June 2020). Costs were adjusted for inflation and presented in 2020 dollars. ResultsOf 535 heart transplants, there were 410 early and 125 late era patients. Baseline characteristics were similar, except for greater lung and valvular disease in the late era. Fewer patients in the late era were bridged with durable left ventricular assist devices (69% vs 31%; P < .0001), biventricular devices (5% vs 1%; P = .047), and more with temporary mechanical circulatory support (4% vs 46%; P < .0001). There was no difference in early mortality (6% vs 4%; P = .33) or major morbidity (57% vs 61%; P = .40). Length of stay was longer preoperatively (1 vs 9 days; P < .0001), but not different postoperatively. There was no difference in median total hospital cost ($132,465 vs $128,996; P = .15), although there was high variability. On multivariable regression, preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization was the main driver of resource utilization. ConclusionsThe new heart transplant allocation system has resulted in different bridging techniques, with greater reliance on temporary mechanical circulatory support. Although this is associated with an increase in preoperative length of stay, it did not translate into increased hospital cost.