Potential Cost-effectiveness Research Articles

36P Cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography in China: A modeling study

Background: Smoking is considered not the only major risk factor that contributing to the lung cancer incidence in China, due to the fact that about half of patients with lung cancers are never-smokers. Considering the potential of the implementation of lung cancer screening in the general Chinese population, this study aimed to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening with low-dose CT in a general population in China.

Improved coordination of care after acute myocardial infarction in Poland since 2017: Promising early results

A new model of complex patient care after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been in operation in Poland since late 2017, comprising invasive treatment, cardiac rehabilitation and scheduled outpatient follow-up. Its stated objectives are to improve secondary prevention measures, quality of care and long-term health outcomes in AMI-patients. The model implements all key aspects of post-MI care recommended by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), representing the first nation-wide model of structured and comprehensive post-MI care that closely follows ESC guidelines. The aim of this paper is to describe the background of this reform, its content and implementation as well as to assess its results. Early outcomes seem promising, with significantly lower mortality rate and lower risk of serious cardiological events in patients participating in the new model of care compared to patients who were not included. A comprehensive assessment of the reform will require further clinical data, covering a larger population and a longer period of time, as well as a holistic analysis of the programme in its wider context, taking into account potential benefits and cost-effectiveness of improved primary prevention implemented outside of this model.

The potential role of long-acting injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine in the treatment of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: a modelling analysis

SummaryBackgroundThe use of a combination of the integrase inhibitor, cabotegravir, and the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, rilpivirine, in a long-acting injectable form is being considered as an antiretroviral treatment option for people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to model the effects of injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine to help to inform its potential effectiveness and cost-effectiveness under different possible policies for its introduction.MethodsWe used an existing individual-based model of HIV to predict the effects of introducing monthly injections of cabotegravir–rilpivirine for people with HIV in low-income settings in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated policies in the context of 1000 setting scenarios that reflected characteristics of HIV epidemics and programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. We compared three policies for introduction of injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine with continued use of dolutegravir-based oral regimens for: all individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART); individuals with a recently measured viral load of more than 1000 copies per mL (signifying poor adherence to oral drugs, and often associated with drug resistance); and individuals with a recently measured viral load of less than 1000 copies per mL (a group with a lower prevalence of pre-existing drug resistance). We also did cost-effectiveness analysis, taking a health system perspective over a 10 year period, with 3% discounting of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and costs. A cost-effectiveness threshold of US$500 per DALY averted was used to establish if a policy was cost-effective.FindingsIn our model, all policies involving the introduction of injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine were predicted to lead to an increased proportion of people with HIV on ART, increased viral load suppression, and decreased AIDS-related mortality, with lesser benefits in people with a recently measured viral load of less than 1000 copies per mL. Its introduction is also predicted to lead to increases in resistance to integrase inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors if introduced in all people with HIV on ART or in those with a recently measured viral load of less than 1000 copies per mL, but to a lesser extent if introduced in people with more than 1000 copies per mL due to concentration of its use in people less adherent to oral therapy. Consistent with the effect on AIDS-related mortality, all approaches to the introduction of injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine are predicted to avert DALYs. Assuming a cost of $120 per person per year, use of this regimen in people with a recently measured viral load of more than 1000 copies per mL was borderline cost-effective (median cost per DALY averted across setting scenarios $404). The other approaches considered for its use are unlikely to be cost-effective unless the cost per year of injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine is considerably reduced.InterpretationOur modelling suggests that injectable cabotegravir–rilpivirine offers potential benefits; however, to be a cost-effective option, its introduction might need to be carefully targeted to individuals with HIV who might otherwise have suboptimal adherence to ART. As data accumulate from trials and implementation studies, such findings can be incorporated into the model to better inform on the full consequences of policy alternatives.FundingBill & Melinda Gates Foundation, including through the HIV Modelling Consortium (OPP1191655).

Towards Eradication of Malaria: Is the WHO's RTS,S/AS01 Vaccination Effective Enough?

BackgroundRecent advances in mosquito eradication and antimalarial treatments have reduced the malaria burden only modestly. An effective malaria vaccine remains a high priority, but its development has several challenges. Among many potential candidates, the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine (MosquirixTM) remains the leading candidate.Objective and MethodThis review aims to understand the advances in the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, and future comments regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness in malaria eradication. Literature review for the past five decades was performed searching PubMed, EMBASE Ovid, and Cochrane Library, with using the following search items: (“malaria” OR “WHO’s malaria” OR “Plasmodium falciparum” OR “RTS,S” OR “RTS,S/AS01” OR “RTS,S/AS02” OR “pre-erythrocytic malaria” OR “circumsporozoite” OR “Mosquirix”) AND (“vaccine” OR “vaccination”).ResultsRTS,S/AS01, a recombinant pre-erythrocytic vaccine containing Plasmodium falciparum surface-protein (circumsporozoite) antigen, is safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic in children. Three doses, along with a booster, have a modest efficacy of about 36% in children (age 5–17 months) and about 26% in infants (age 6–12 weeks) against clinical malaria during a 48-month follow-up. However, the efficacy varies among population subgroups and with the parasite strain, it reduces without a booster and offers protection for a limited duration. Because of its potential cost-effectiveness and positive public health effect, the vaccine is being investigated in a pilot program for mortality benefits and broader deployment.ConclusionThe RTS,S/AS01 vaccine prevents malaria; however, it should be considered another addition to the malaria-control program and not as an eradication tool because of its relatively low to modest efficacy.

The Prevention of Delirium system of care for older patients admitted to hospital for emergency care: the POD research programme including feasibility RCT

The Prevention of Delirium system of care for older patients admitted to hospital for emergency care: the POD research programme including feasibility RCT

Telemedicine solutions in cardiology: a joint expert opinion by the Information Technology and Telemedicine Committee of the Polish Cardiac Society, the Section of Noninvasive Electrocardiology and Telemedicine of the Polish Cardiac Society, and the Clinical Research Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences (short version, 2021).

Telemedicine involves diagnostic, therapeutic and educational services being offered remotely by healthcare professionals to exchange crucial clinical information. It is a rapidly developing form of medical activity and part of medical industry, with advanced technologies already available in Poland. Cardiology is one of the fields in which telemedicine methods were pioneered and introduced into everyday practice. Some of these methods have already become standard procedures for diagnosis and treatment in some Polish centers, with other soon to follow. Clinical study results not only demonstrate reliability and usefulness of telemedicine technologies but also show that their use in clinical practice improves the patients' prognoses and quality of life. Moreover, study results in highly developed countries show a potential cost-effectiveness of telemedicine from the perspective of healthcare systems. There is an unquestionable need to establish clear rules for telemedicine use in Poland, which would ensure their high quality and adequate clinical application. This paper is a summary of the current status of telemedicine solutions used in cardiology, with a particular focus on the Polish healthcare system, and presents both the commonly available solutions and those that are expected to develop rapidly in the near future.

An early health technology assessment of 3D anatomic models in pediatric congenital heart surgery: potential cost-effectiveness and decision uncertainty

ABSTRACT Background: Three-dimensional anatomic models have been used for surgical planning and simulation in pediatric congenital heart surgery. This research is the first to evaluate the potential cost-effectiveness of 3D anatomic models with the intent to guide surgeons and decision makers on its use. Method: A decision tree and subsequent Markov model with a 15-year time horizon was constructed and analyzed for nine cardiovascular surgeries. Epidemiological, clinical, and economic data were derived from databases. Literature and experts were consulted to close data gaps. Scenario, one-way, threshold, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis captured methodological and parameter uncertainty. Results: Incremental costs of using anatomical models ranged from −366€ (95% credibility interval: −2595€; 1049€) in the Norwood operation to 1485€ (95% CI: 1206€; 1792€) in atrial septal defect repair. Incremental health-benefits ranged from negligible in atrial septal defect repair to 0.54 Quality Adjusted Life Years (95% CI: 0.06; 1.43) in truncus arteriosus repair. Variability in the results was mainly caused by a temporary postoperative quality-adjusted life years gain. Conclusion: For complex operations, the implementation of anatomic models is likely to be cost-effective on a 15 year time horizon. For the right indication, these models thus provide a clinical advantage at an acceptable cost.

Cost-effectiveness of imaging strategies to diagnose and select patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease for statin treatment in the United Kingdom

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): The project leading to this publication has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 668142. Background Patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD) are at a higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to those with normal arteries. Plaque rupture is associated with increased adverse events and statin therapy seems to be beneficial for plaque stabilisation. Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) is currently the non-invasive imaging modality of choice for the morphological evaluation of NOCAD in the United Kingdom (UK). However, CCTA provides limited information regarding the vulnerability of plaques to rupture and the selection of patients for preventive statin treatment. Currently being tested on patients, Spectral Photon-Counting CT (SPCCT) may provide increased accuracy for vulnerable plaque detection and, in turn, improved selection of patients for statin treatment. Purpose We investigated the potential cost-effectiveness of SPCCT (compared to a set of CCTA-based strategies) in identifying NOCAD patients with rupture-prone plaques for preventive statin treatment. Methods A decision tree and a Markov trace were developed to model the expected outcomes (costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)) for a hypothetical UK cohort of 50-year-old male patients with stable chest pain and no history of CAD. Input data were obtained from the literature. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. The impact of a pairwise variation of SPCCT sensitivity and specificity was analysed. Furthermore, five competing imaging strategies were compared in terms of their lifetime costs and effects: 1) CCTA and treat NOCAD based on imaging results, 2) CCTA and treat all NOCAD, 3) CCTA and do not treat NOCAD, 4) SPCCT with high specificity and treat NOCAD based on imaging results, and 5) SPCCT with high sensitivity and treat NOCAD based on imaging results. Results Our deterministic and probabilistic results showed that an improved imaging test would add value compared to CCTA. While increased specificity (to 95%) is favorable at a lower willingness to pay (WTP) (up to ∼£9,000 per QALY), increased sensitivity (to 95%) is more likely to be favorable at a higher WTP (∼£9,000 to £120,000 per QALY). The role of a CCTA-treat-none strategy and a CCTA-treat-all strategy is minimal and potential only at really low (<£2,000 per QALY) and high (>£120,000 per QALY) WTP, respectively. The uncertainty around these results is highly correlated to the uncertainty around the long-term risk for NOCAD patients to experience myocardial infarction or stroke. Conclusion An improved imaging test based on higher sensitivity in identifying rupture-prone coronary plaques in NOCAD patients seems to have value in guiding the decision of preventive statin treatment in the UK. However, additional data regarding the efficacy of statins and of combined treatments for NOCAD patients are needed before the cost-effectiveness of SPCCT can be precisely estimated in this population.

Community deployment of a synthetic pheromone of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis co-located with insecticide reduces vector abundance in treated and neighbouring untreated houses: Implications for control of Leishmania infantum.

The rising incidence of visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum requires novel methods to control transmission by the sand fly vector. Indoor residual spraying of insecticide (IRS) against these largely exophilic / exophagic vectors may not be the most effective method. A synthetic copy of the male sex-aggregation pheromone of the key vector species Lutzomyia longipalpis in the Americas, was co-located with residual pyrethroid insecticide, and tested for its effects on vector abundance, hence potential transmission, in a Brazilian community study. Houses within eight defined semi-urban blocks in an endemic municipality in Brazil were randomised to synthetic pheromone + insecticide or to placebo treatments. A similar number of houses located >100m from each block were placebo treated and considered as "True Controls" (thus, analysed as three trial arms). Insecticide was sprayed on a 2.6m2 surface area of the property boundary or outbuilding wall, co-located within one metre of 50mg synthetic pheromone in controlled-release dispensers. Vector numbers captured in nearby CDC light traps were recorded at monthly intervals over 3 months post intervention. Recruited sentinel houses under True Control and pheromone + insecticide treatments were similarly monitored at 7-9 day intervals. The intervention effects were estimated by mixed effects negative binomial models compared to the True Control group. Dose-response field assays using 50mg of the synthetic pheromone captured a mean 4.8 (95% C.L.: 3.91, 5.80) to 6.3 (95% C.L.: 3.24, 12.11) times more vectors (female Lu. longipalpis) than using 10mg of synthetic pheromone. The intervention reduced household female vector abundance by 59% (C.L.: 48.7, 66.7%) (IRR = 0.41) estimated by the cross-sectional community study, and by 70% (C.L.: 56.7%, 78.8%) estimated by the longitudinal sentinel study. Similar reductions in male Lu. longipalpis were observed. Beneficial spill-over intervention effects were also observed at nearby untreated households with a mean reduction of 24% (95% C.L.: 0.050%, 39.8%) in female vectors. The spill-over effect in untreated houses was 44% (95% C.L.: 29.7%, 56.1%) as effective as the intervention in pheromone-treated houses. Ownership of chickens increased the intervention effects in both treated and untreated houses, attributed to the suspected synergistic attraction of the synthetic pheromone and chicken kairomones. The variation in IRR between study blocks was not associated with inter-household distances, household densities, or coverage (proportion of total households treated). The study confirms the entomological efficacy of the lure-and-kill method to reduce the abundance of this important sand fly vector in treated and untreated homesteads. The outcomes were achieved by low coverage and using only 1-2% of the quantity of insecticide as normally required for IRS, indicating the potential cost-effectiveness of this method. Implications for programmatic deployment of this vector control method are discussed.

A preliminary cost-effectiveness analysis of lung protective ventilation with extra corporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

BackgroundMechanical ventilation (MV) is the cornerstone in the management of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Recent research suggests that decreasing the intensity of MV using lung protective ventilation (LPV) with lower tidal volume (Vt) and driving pressure (∆P) could improve survival. Extra-corporal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) precisely enables LPV by allowing lower Vt, ∆P and mechanical power while maintaining PaCO2 within a physiologic range. This study evaluates the potential cost-effectiveness of ECCO2R-enabled LPV in France.MethodsWe modelled the distribution over time of ventilated ARDS patients across 3 health-states (alive & ventilated, alive & weaned from ventilation, dead). We compared the outcomes of 3 strategies: MV (no ECCO2R), LPV (ECCO2R when PaCO2 > 55 mmHg) and Ultra-LPV (ECCO2R for all). Patients characteristics, ventilation settings, survival and lengths of stay were derived from a large ARDS epidemiology study. Survival benefits associated with lower ∆P were taken from the analysis of more than 3000 patients enrolled in 9 randomized trials. Health outcomes were expressed in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were computed with both Day 60 cost and Lifetime cost.ResultsBoth LPV and ULPV as enabled by ECCO2R provided favorable results at Day 60 as compared to MV. Survival rates were increased with the protective strategies, notably with ULPV that provided even more manifest benefits as compared to MV. LPV and ULPV produced +0.162 and + 0.627 incremental QALYs as compared to MV, respectively. LPV and ULPV costs were augmented because of their survival benefits. Nonetheless, ICERs of LPV and ULPV vs. MV were all well below the €50,000 threshold. ULPV also presented with favorable ICERs as compared to LPV (i.e. less than €25,000/QALY).ConclusionsECCO2R-enabled LPV strategies might provide cost-effective survival benefit. Additional data from interventional and observational studies are needed to support this preliminary model-based analysis.

Cost and cost-effectiveness of a real-world HCV treatment program among HIV-infected individuals in Myanmar

IntroductionOver half of those hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV coinfected live in low-income and middle-income countries, and many remain undiagnosed or untreated. In 2016, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) established a direct-acting...

The Development of a Multilevel Intervention to Optimise Participant Engagement with an Obesity Prevention Programme Delivered in UK children\u2019s Centres

Poor participant engagement threatens the potential impact and cost-effectiveness of public health programmes preventing meaningful evaluation and wider application. Although barriers and levers to engagement with public health programmes are well documented, there is a lack of proven strategies in the literature addressing these. This paper details the development of a participant engagement intervention aimed at promoting enrolment and attendance to a community-based pre-school obesity prevention programme delivered in UK children’s centres; HENRY (Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the Really Young). The Behaviour Change Wheel framework was used to guide the development of the intervention. The findings of a coinciding focused ethnography study identified barriers and levers to engagement with HENRY that informed which behaviours should be targeted within the intervention to promote engagement. A COM-B behavioural analysis was undertaken to identify whether capability, opportunity or motivation would need to be influenced for the target behaviours to occur. APEASE criteria were used to agree on appropriate intervention functions and behaviour change techniques. A multi-level participant engagement intervention was developed to promote adoption of target behaviours that were proposed to promote engagement with HENRY, e.g. ensuring the programme is accurately portrayed when approaching individuals to attend and providing ‘taster’ sessions prior to each programme. At the local authority level, the intervention aimed to increase buy-in with HENRY to increase the level of resource dedicated to engagement efforts. At the centre level, managers were encouraged to widen promotion of the programme and ensure that staff promoted the programme accurately. HENRY facilitators received training to increase engagement during sessions, and parents that had attended HENRY were encouraged to recruit their peers. This paper describes one of the first attempts to develop a theory-based multi-level participant engagement intervention specifically designed to promote recruitment and retention to a community-based obesity prevention programme. Given the challenges to implementing public health programmes with sufficient reach, the process used to develop the intervention serves as an example of how programmes that are already widely commissioned could be optimised to enable greater impact.

Modelling the Economic Impact of Reducing Loneliness in Community Dwelling Older People in England.

Loneliness has been associated with poor mental health and wellbeing. In England, a 2018 national strategy on loneliness was published, and public health guidelines recommend participation in social activities. In the absence of existing economic evidence, we modelled the potential cost effectiveness of a service that connects lonely older people to social activities against no-intervention. A 5-year Markov model was constructed from a health and social care perspective. Parameters were drawn from the literature, with the intervention structure based on an existing loneliness alleviation programme implemented in several settings across England. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken. The total expected cost per participant in the intervention group is £7131 compared to £6783 in the usual care group with 0.45 loneliness free years (LFY) gained. The incremental cost per LFY gained is £768; in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis the intervention is cost saving in 3.5% of iterations. Potentially such interventions may be cost-effective but are unlikely to be cost-saving even allowing for sustained effects and cumulative adverse health and social care events averted. Empirical studies are needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of these interventions, ideally mapping changes in loneliness to the quality of life, in order to allow the key metric in health economic studies, cost per quality adjusted life year to be estimated.

Acceptability and Feasibility of a Mindfulness Intervention Delivered via Videoconferencing for People With Parkinson's.

Mindfulness-based group therapy is a rapidly growing psychological approach that can potentially help people adjust to chronic illness and manage unpleasant symptoms. Emerging evidence suggests that mindfulness-based interventions may benefit people with Parkinson’s. The objective of the paper is to examine the appropriateness, feasibility, and potential cost-effectiveness of an online mindfulness intervention, designed to reduce anxiety and depression for people with Parkinson’s. We conducted a feasibility randomized control trial and qualitative interviews. Anxiety, depression, pain, insomnia, fatigue, impact on daily activities and health-related quality of life were measured at baseline, 4, 8, and 20 weeks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the end of the intervention. Participants were randomized to the Skype delivered mindfulness group (n = 30) or wait-list (n = 30). Participants in the mindfulness group were also given a mindfulness manual and a CD with mindfulness meditations. The intervention did not show any significant effects in the primary or secondary outcome measures. However, there was a significant increase in the quality of life measure. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was estimated to be £27,107 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year gained. Also, the qualitative study showed that mindfulness is a suitable and acceptable intervention. It appears feasible to run a trial delivering mindfulness through Skype, and people with Parkinson’s found the sessions acceptable and helpful.

Venous thromboembolism in benign esophageal surgery patients: potential cost effectiveness of Caprini risk stratification.

The Caprini risk assessment model (RAM) stratifies surgical patients for prescription of post-discharge extended heparin prophylaxis to reduce post-operative venous thromboembolism (VTE) events. The average cost for treatment of a VTE event is $15,123. The 30-day post-operative VTE rate after benign esophageal procedures is < 0.8% per the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. We hypothesized that the financial cost of selective extended prophylaxis in patients undergoing surgery for benign esophageal disease would exceed the cost of treating these rare events and therefore use of risk stratification for extended prophylaxis would not be beneficial. All patients undergoing operations for benign esophageal pathology from July 2014 to May 2019 were reviewed. Patients designated as moderate or high risk for VTE were prescribed a 10- or 30-day post-operative course of extended prophylaxis with low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH). VTE and adverse bleeding events were recorded for the 60-day post-operative period. The cost of LMWH was provided by the institution pharmacy. Records from 154 patients were eligible for review. Caprini RAM was used for all patients with the following distribution of risk categories: low = 64.9% (100/154); moderate = 31.8% (49/154); and high = 3.2% (5/154). The average cost of extended prophylaxis at discharge for the moderate-risk group was $121.23, while the high-risk group was $446.46. There were no 60-day VTE or adverse bleeding events recorded. The majority of patients undergoing surgical therapy were at low risk of post-operative VTE event, with only 35% requiring extended VTE prophylaxis at time of discharge. When compared with the average cost of treatment for a VTE event, the cost of extended prophylaxis per patient in moderate or high-risk groups is substantially lower. In the era of cost-containment, risk stratification and extended prophylaxis may reduce healthcare costs and warrant future investigations.

Proactive therapeutic drug monitoring of adalimumab for pediatric Crohn's disease patients: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

Recent clinical findings showed proactive therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of adalimumab (ADL) to improve sustained remission rate in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The present study aimed to evaluate the potential cost-effectiveness of proactive versus reactive TDM of ADL in pediatric patients with CD from the perspective of the US health-care provider. A Markov model was constructed to estimate outcomes of proactive versus reactive TDM of ADL in a hypothetical cohort of pediatric CD patients who were in remission on ADL maintenance treatment. Model inputs were derived from published literature and public data. Model outcomes included CD-related direct medical cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of base-case results. When compared with the reactive TDM group, the proactive TDM group saved 0.1960 QALYs at lower cost by USD2021 over a 3-year time frame in base-case analysis. One-way sensitivity analysis showed the ADL drug cost to be the most influential factor. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis of 10000 Monte-Carlo simulations found the proactive TDM group to gain 0.1958 QALYs (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1950-0.1966; P<0.001) and save USD2037 (95%CI USD1943-2131; P<0.001). Proactive TDM for ADL seems to gain higher QALYs at lower cost in pediatric CD patients.

Economic Evaluation Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan for the Cost-Effectiveness of a Novel Australian Stroke Telemedicine Program; the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) program.

Introduction: Telemedicine can address limited access to medical specialists in rural hospitals. Stroke provides an important case study because: it is a major cause of disease burden; effective treatments to reduce disability (e.g., thrombolysis) can be provided within the initial hours of stroke onset; careful selection of patients is needed by skilled doctors to minimize adverse events from thrombolysis; and there are major treatment gaps (only about half of regional hospitals in Australia provide thrombolysis for stroke). Few economic analyses have been undertaken on telestroke and the majority have been simulation models. The aim of this protocol and statistical analysis plan is to outline the methods for the cost-effectiveness evaluation of a large, multicentre acute stroke telemedicine program being conducted in Victoria, Australia.Methods: Using a historical- and prospective-controlled design, we will compare patient-level data obtained in the 12 months prior to the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) program implementation and during the first 12 months of VST to determine the incremental difference in costs and patient outcomes at 3 and 12 months. Secondary aims include assessing the cost per additional patient receiving intravenous thrombolysis and the cost per additional patient receiving intravenous thrombolysis within 60 min. Tertiary aims include assessing the potential longer-term cost-effectiveness in the second year of the program at the hospitals to determine whether any program benefits are sustained once site coordinators are no longer employed; and modeling the potential net life-time costs and benefits from a societal perspective. Multivariable uncertainty and one-way sensitivity analyses will be performed to assess the robustness of results.Results: Sixteen hospitals participated. Patient-level data collection including 12-month outcomes for the cohorts obtained in the first and second year of the program for each hospital was completed in January 2020.Conclusion: The results from this real-world study with patient-level data will provide high quality evidence of the costs, health benefits and policy implications of telestroke programs, including the potential for application in other locations within Australia or other countries with similar health system delivery and financing.

Prehabilitation for medically frail patients undergoing surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

ObjectiveTo assess the potential cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation in medically frail patients undergoing surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).MethodsWe created a cost-effectiveness model evaluating the impact of prehabilitation on a cohort of medically frail women undergoing primary surgical intervention for EOC. Cost was assessed from the healthcare system perspective via (1) inpatient charges from 2018–2019 institutional Diagnostic Related Grouping data for surgeries with and without major complications; (2) nursing facility costs from published market surveys. Major complication and non-home discharge rates were estimated from the literature. Based on published pilot studies, prehabilitation was determined to decrease these rates. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for cost per life year saved utilized a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/life year. Modeling was performed with TreeAge software.ResultsIn a cohort of 4,415 women, prehabilitation would cost $371.1 Million (M) versus $404.9 M for usual care, a cost saving of $33.8 M/year. Cost of care per patient with prehabilitation was $84,053; usual care was $91,713. When analyzed for cost-effectiveness, usual care was dominated by prehabilitation, indicating prehabilitation was associated with both increased effectiveness and decreased cost compared with usual care. Sensitivity analysis showed prehabilitation was more cost effective up to a cost of intervention of $9,418/patient.ConclusionPrehabilitation appears to be a cost-saving method to decrease healthcare system costs via two improved outcomes: lower complication rates and decreased care facility requirements. It represents a novel strategy to optimize healthcare efficiency. Prospective studies should be performed to better characterize these interventions in medically frail patients with EOC.

PMH19 Cost-Effectiveness of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression in the United Kingdom

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a debilitating condition with a significant impact on patients and carers, and health care spending. Treatment resistance occurs in approximately 30% of individuals affected by Major Depressive Disorder. This analysis explored the potential cost-effectiveness of introducing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) adjunctive to treatment as usual (TAU) for patients with TRD who have failed on ≥4 adequate anti-depressant treatments in England and Wales. A Markov model simulated patient transitions between health states defined by type of treatment, battery status and disease severity, as defined by Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score. Effectiveness was based on individual patient data from the D-21 dosing trial and the D-23 observational study assessing the effectiveness of VNS plus TAU compared to TAU alone. Hypothetical patients included those with moderate and severe depression at baseline, reflecting the population that would be eligible for VNS. The model had a 10-year time horizon and took a UK NHS perspective. Longer time horizons were also explored, as was a societal perspective. Costs and benefits were discounted at a rate of 3.5%. One-way deterministic, probabilistic and scenario analyses were undertaken to test various model inputs. When considering direct costs, the total cost of the VNS strategy was £42,589 compared to £29,928 for TAU. VNS generated 0.42 incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) compared to TAU, giving an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £29,995 per QALY gained. When societal costs were considered, the VNS strategy dominated. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, VNS had a 50% probability of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £30,000 per QALY. Extending the time horizon of the analysis to 20 years resulted in an ICER of £25,764. This analysis shows that VNS in addition to TAU could represent a cost-effective option for patients with TRD in the UK.

The potential of real-time analytics to improve care for mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit: an early economic evaluation

BackgroundMechanical ventilation services are an important driver of the high costs of intensive care. An optimal interaction between a patient and a ventilator is therefore paramount. Suboptimal interaction is present when patients repeatedly demand, but do not receive, breathing support from a mechanical ventilator (> 30 times in 3 min), also known as an ineffective effort event (IEEV). IEEVs are associated with increased hospital mortality prolonged intensive care stay, and prolonged time on ventilation and thus development of real-time analytics that identify IEEVs is essential. To assist decision-making about further development we estimate the potential cost-effectiveness of real-time analytics that identify ineffective effort events.MethodsWe developed a cost-effectiveness model combining a decision tree and Markov model for long-term outcomes with data on current care from a Greek hospital and literature. A lifetime horizon and a healthcare payer perspective were used. Uncertainty about the results was assessed using sensitivity and scenario analyses to examine the impact of varying parameters like the intensive care costs per day and the effectiveness of treatment of IEEVs.ResultsUse of the analytics could lead to reduced mortality (3% absolute reduction), increased quality adjusted life years (0.21 per patient) and cost-savings (€264 per patient) compared to current care. Moreover, cost-savings for hospitals and health improvements can be incurred even if the treatment’s effectiveness is reduced from 30 to 10%. The estimated savings increase to €1,155 per patient in countries where costs of an intensive care day are high (e.g. the Netherlands). There is considerable headroom for development and the analytics generate savings when the price of the analytics per bed per year is below €7,307. Furthermore, even when the treatment’s effectiveness is 10%, the probability that the analytics are cost-effective exceeds 90%.ConclusionsImplementing real-time analytics to identify ineffective effort events can lead to health and financial benefits. Therefore, it will be worthwhile to continue assessment of the effectiveness of the analytics in clinical practice and validate our findings. Eventually, their adoption in settings where costs of an intensive care day are high and ineffective efforts are frequent could yield a high return on investment.