Private Health Care System Research Articles

PD38 Telehealth Use To Fight The COVID-19 Pandemic In A Brazilian Private Healthcare System

IntroductionThe outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic generated the need to adapt patients’ access to health services, given the rapid and exponential increase in demand at all levels of care, making social distancing one of the few weapons available in this fight. In this scenario, telehealth proved to be a fundamental tool in tracking and guiding patients with suspected or confirmed disease. This work presents the demographic profile of the people attended, the most prevalent clinical situations in care and the clinical outcomes of the remote care.MethodsThis was an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study carried out at Unimed Belo Horizonte, a medical work cooperative, from March 2020 to May 2021. We analyzed anonymized data on remote care from electronic medical records provided by the operator, with the remote contacts of these patients being spontaneous.ResultsIn the period evaluated, 380,663 remote calls were made, with a monthly average of 36,888 calls. Of these visits, 59.5% were carried out by women and 40.5% by men. There were, 13,211 (3.5%) consultations with patients aged 0 to 9 years, 19,933 (5.2%) 10 to 19 years, 319,882 (84%) in people aged 20 to 59 years, and 27,633 (7.3%) aged 60 years or older. There were 64,348 (17%) consultations in patients with confirmed COVID-19 and 40,997 (11%) with suspected COVID-19. There were 194,746 (51.2%) consultations due to respiratory complaints and 14% of consultations due to other causes, but whose initial care was due to signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. Of people assisted remotely, 29,734 (7.8%) attended the emergency room within 3 days, while 38,685 (10.2%) sought the emergency room within 14 days. There were 2,846 (0.7%) consultations in the emergency room that resulted in the hospitalization of patients.ConclusionsTelehealth proved to be resolute and an important tool for accessing health services during the pandemic.

EE574 Cemiplimab and Pembrolizumab for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With PD-L1 ≥ 50%: Number Needed to Treat and Cost of Preventing an Event in the Brazilian Private Healthcare System Perspective

To analyze the number needed to treat (NNT) and cost of preventing an event (COPE) for cemiplimab and pembrolizumab as first-line treatments for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 ≥ 50%, under the Brazilian private healthcare perspective.

Cost comparison of dupilumab and omalizumab for the treatment of severe allergic asthma patients from the Brazilian private healthcare system perspective

Objective: To compare the costs of dupilumab and omalizumab for treating severe allergic asthma patients from the perspective of the Brazilian private healthcare system. Methods: Using clinical and demographic inputs from the literature, we simulated a cohort of 5,000 severe allergic asthma patients and estimated the treatment cost with omalizumab. Results: In the simulated cohort, 81.3% were female, the mean body weight was 75.1 kg (SD 13.1), and the mean serum IgE was 532 IU/mL (SD 688). All patients were eligible for treatment with dupilumab, but 830 (16.6%) were ineligible for treatment with omalizumab due to serum IgE level and/or body weight combinations, according to the product label. Over four weeks, the mean dose of omalizumab was 537 mg (SD 285). The annual mean per-patient cost for treatment with omalizumab was BRL 110,783.89 (SD 58,385.81), ranging from BRL 31,797.49 to BRL 246,643.15. The treatment cost with dupilumab is BRL 111,724.21 for the first year and BRL 107,599.91 for subsequent years. Conclusions: We observed slightly lower mean treatment costs with dupilumab than with omalizumab. However, while the treatment cost with dupilumab is fixed and predictable, the treatment cost with omalizumab is highly variable, depending on patients’ characteristics. Health managers should consider these findings for reimbursement and clinical protocol development decisions.

PD32 Cost-Utility Of Selective Internal Radiation Therapy Using Y-90 Resin Microspheres For Chemotherapy-Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer In Brazil

IntroductionThere were an estimated 55,102 new cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Brazil in 2020, comprising 9.3 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers, and making it the third most common cancer in the Brazilian population. Up to half of all patients with CRC will develop liver metastases, and the prognosis for these patients is poor. The objective of the present analysis was to evaluate the cost-utility of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) using Y-90 resin microspheres versus best supportive care (BSC) in patients with unresectable, liver-dominant, chemotherapy-refractory metastatic CRC (mCRC).MethodsA three-state partitioned survival model was developed in Microsoft Excel to evaluate the cost-utility of SIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres versus BSC. Membership of the three model states of pre-progression, post-progression and death was governed by parametric models of Kaplan-Meier data from a retrospective, interventional study. Costs associated with SIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres, BSC, and adverse events were obtained from Brazilian sources and reported in 2021 United States dollars (USD). Future costs and effects were discounted at 5 percent. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed. A willingness-to-pay threshold of USD 53,936 was used based on a 2017 review of Brazilian healthcare technology adoption.ResultsThe base case analysis showed that Y-90 resin microspheres would result in an increase of 0.76 QALYs versus BSC, increasing quality-adjusted life expectancy from 0.67 QALYs to 1.43 QALYs. The improvement in quality-adjusted life expectancy was accompanied by an increase in costs from USD 9,884 to USD 40,399 over the model time horizon, corresponding to an increase of USD 30,515, and yielding an incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of USD 40,265 per QALY gained. PSA showed there was a 90.8 percent likelihood of cost-effectiveness at USD 53,936 per QALY gained.ConclusionsSIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres was cost-effective versus BSC in the treatment of unresectable, liver-dominant mCRC patients and should be considered for incorporation in the Brazilian Private Healthcare System.

Dental hesitancy: a qualitative study of culturally and linguistically diverse mothers

BackgroundOral healthcare is paramount and inextricably linked to well-being. Yet, the evidence indicates that culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrant communities have unequal access to mainstream dental services due to several barriers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral healthcare experiences, attitudes and barriers to oral healthcare utilisation in CALD mothers.MethodsA qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted within a social constructivism epistemology. CALD mothers who identified as non-English speaking, foreign country born, with a child under 12, were recruited though purposive snowball sampling. Questions probed oral healthcare experiences, barriers, enablers, and attitudes. Verbatim typed transcripts were thematically analysed using grounded methodology.ResultsThirty-three CALD mothers participated; twenty from India, five from Fiji, four from China, two from Nepal and one each from Israel and Macedonia. Languages included Cantonese, Fiji-Hindi, Gujrati, Hebrew, Hindi, Kannada, Mandarin, Maharashtrian, Macedonian, Nepalese, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Telegu and Urdu. Cost was the foremost barrier to oral healthcare services, followed by Confidence in quality care for the provision of services and treatment. Confusion in navigating a public and private healthcare system was highlighted and Competing priorities took precedence. Complacency referred to ‘no need’ or lack of urgency in dental care. Subsequently, dental hesitancy (superordinate theme) described the patterning of data as comprising the five ‘C’ factors and was theorised as the dental hesitancy phenomenon to explain the occurrence of delay or avoidance in utilising dental care.ConclusionFindings highlight the utility of the dental hesitancy phenomenon unearthed within this study. CALD mothers explained five ‘C’ dimensions: cost, confidence, confusion, competing priorities and complacency as barriers to accessing timely dental care. Multisectoral collaboration between healthcare systems, universal health coverage and primary sector support is required to address dental hesitancy in CALD mothers. Further, this study contributes to the field of behavioural and social sciences in oral health and augments the literature on dental avoidance.

Moderators, Mediators, and Prognostic Indicators of Treatment With Hip Arthroscopy or Physical Therapy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome: Secondary Analyses From the Australian FASHIoN Trial

Background: Although randomized controlled trials comparing hip arthroscopy with physical therapy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome have emerged, no studies have investigated potential moderators or mediators of change in hip-related quality of life. Purpose: To explore potential moderators, mediators, and prognostic indicators of the effect of hip arthroscopy and physical therapy on change in 33-item international Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-33) score for FAI syndrome. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Overall, 99 participants were recruited from the clinics of orthopaedic surgeons and randomly allocated to treatment with hip arthroscopy or physical therapy. Change in iHOT-33 score from baseline to 12 months was the dependent outcome for analyses of moderators, mediators, and prognostic indicators. Variables investigated as potential moderators/prognostic indicators were demographic variables, symptom duration, alpha angle, lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), Hip Osteoarthritis MRI Scoring System (HOAMS) for selected magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features, and delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) score. Potential mediators investigated were change in chosen bony morphology measures, HOAMS, and dGEMRIC score from baseline to 12 months. For hip arthroscopy, intraoperative procedures performed (femoral ostectomy ± acetabular ostectomy ± labral repair ± ligamentum teres debridement) and quality of surgery graded by a blinded surgical review panel were investigated for potential association with iHOT-33 change. For physical therapy, fidelity to the physical therapy program was investigated for potential association with iHOT-33 change. Results: A total of 81 participants were included in the final moderator/prognostic indicator analysis and 85 participants in the final mediator analysis after exclusion of those with missing data. No significant moderators or mediators of change in iHOT-33 score from baseline to 12 months were identified. Patients with smaller baseline LCEA (β = −0.82; P = .034), access to private health care (β = 12.91; P = .013), and worse baseline iHOT-33 score (β = −0.48; P < .001) had greater iHOT-33 improvement from baseline to 12 months, irrespective of treatment allocation, and thus were prognostic indicators of treatment response. Unsatisfactory treatment fidelity was associated with worse treatment response (β = −24.27; P = .013) for physical therapy. The quality of surgery and procedures performed were not associated with iHOT-33 change for hip arthroscopy (P = .460-.665 and P = .096-.824, respectively). Conclusion: No moderators or mediators of change in hip-related quality of life were identified for treatment of FAI syndrome with hip arthroscopy or physical therapy in these exploratory analyses. Patients who accessed the Australian private health care system, had smaller LCEAs, and had worse baseline iHOT-33 scores, experienced greater iHOT-33 improvement, irrespective of treatment allocation.

Real world data study of prevalence and direct costs related to dengue management in Brazil's private healthcare from 2015 to 2020.

The burden of dengue in Brazil is poorly documented and is based on data from the public health care setting. This study estimated the prevalence and costs of dengue management in the private health care system in Brazil from 2015 to 2020 using a large claims database from Orizon. We selected claims with dengue ICD codes (ICD-10 A90 or A91) from January 2015 to December 2020. Prevalence was estimated based on the population enrolled in health insurance plans in the given year. Costs were adjusted for the inflation up to December 2021 and evaluated by measures of central tendency and dispersion. A total of 63,882 unique beneficiaries were included, with a total of 64,186 dengue cases. The year with the highest prevalence was 2015 (1.6% of patients who used health plans), and there was also an increase in cases in 2016 and 2019. The median cost per hospitalization in 2015 was US$486.17, and in 2020, it reached US$696.72. The median cost of a case seen at an emergency room ranged from US$ 97.78 in 2015 to US$ 118.16 in 2017. The estimated prevalence of dengue in this population of private health-insured patients followed the epidemiological trends of the general population in Brazil, with the highest rates in 2015, 2016, and 2019. The cost of dengue management has increased in the private health care setting over the years.

Medical geneticists, genetic diseases and services in Brazil in the age of personalized medicine.

Aim: In anticipation of the implementation of personalized medicine in Brazil the authors assessed the characteristics of its medical genetics workforce together with the distribution of genetic diseases and services across the country. Materials & methods: The authors used demographic data on medical specialties, and summarized data from the public and private healthcare systems on live births, hospitalization and mortality, for the years 2019 and 2020. Results: The distribution of medical geneticists (MGs) overlapped the country-wide distribution of genetic diseases and services examined, indicating that ∼30% of the patient population has access to a MG specialist. Graduatespecialism in medical genetics, registered MGsand suitable workplaces were concentrated in the south and southeast regions, leaving the north and northeast deeply underserved. Conclusion: MGs are concentrated in the wealthiest and most populated areas, while other regions have very limited services. These inequalities should be addressed for a successful transition to personalized medicine.

A Cost-Effectiveness Study of Stereotactic-Body Radiation Therapy Compared to Surgery in Patients with Early Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, from the Perspective of the Brazilian Private Health-Care System

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> The standard of care for operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has shown promising results in non-operable patients. Previous randomized trials, comparing those technologies, were closed early due to poor accrual, but pooled results have indicated that they are, at least, equally effective. Further trials were opened, and results are waited for the following years to come. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of SBRT, compared to lobectomy, in operable stage I NSCLC. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> A Markov model was built based on the pooled analysis of two previous prospective randomized trials. Costs, in reais (BRL), were extracted from the database of a Brazilian nationwide health care provider (Capesesp). Utility values, recurrence, and death probabilities were adapted from the literature. The analysis was conducted from the Brazilian healthcare private system perspective. A 10 years' time horizon was used in the study. A yearly discount rate of 5% was applied, according to Brazilian regulatory authorities' recommendations. Deterministic (DSA) and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) were performed to evaluate the influence on the results of the assumptions that were made. <h3>Results</h3> SBRT and lobectomy total costs were 93,207.00 and 115,776.00 BRL and utilities were 2.72 and 2.55 QALYs (quality-adjusted life-years), respectively, showing that SBRT was dominant over surgery, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of -134,445.27 BRL. The DSA, performed based on every made assumption, showed that results depended mainly on the probability of progression after lobectomy, on the cost of chemotherapy, prescribed for patients that presented progression after both curative treatments, and on the probability of recurrence after SBRT. PSA revealed that SBRT had a considerably higher probability of being cost-effective, compared to lobectomy. <h3>Conclusion</h3> our results indicate that for patients with stage I, operable, NSCLC, SBRT is probably dominant over lobectomy. Sensitivity analysis has shown that those results are robust and not modified by the assumptions that were made during the construction of the model. It raises the importance of the open trials comparing those technologies, once SBRT can be a viable cost-saving option, in our environment, if its effectiveness is proven to be, at least, comparable to surgery.

UNQUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RURAL PUBLIC HEALTH IN RAJASTHAN

There are many players for health care delivery systems like public and private providers. In between, another service delivery system exists and survived at large scale in rural India. One of them is called Rural Medical Practitioner or quacks or Jhola Chaap (unqualified service provider) or unethical practitioner. The term RMP is still not clear. In the lay men language, RMP stands for registered medical practitioner but only graduate in MBBS are registered by the Medical Council of India and has a valid licence to practices allopathic medicine in public health. In the medical world. In many developing countries like India, informal or rural medical practitioner provides the large-scale services to the poor and villagers. These practitioners cater a large population especially in rural India. In Rajasthan, the coverage of population by Government Public Health Services is not sufficient. This study carried out with interviewing 117 unqualified health care providers in rural area of Rajasthan. The current paper discusses about academic background, training, experience, daily patient load and practice of informal health care providers altering the unavailable health care professional for a long time. As resulted, a total of 95 (81.20%) informal health care providers have their own clinic where they attend the patients and provide services 24 x 7 without charging consultation fee, go for home visits to see the patient and refer the patients in critical situation to Government health facilities, etc. The strong presence of these so-called rural practitioners in the basket of private health care system put the rural health in very critical situations.

Adherence to secondary prevention measures after acute coronary syndrome in patients associated exclusively with the public and private healthcare systems in Brazil

Adherence to secondary prevention measures after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is essential to prevent disease recurrence. In Brazil, the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS, in Portuguese), and the private healthcare system (PHCS) coexist. We aimed to evaluate the adherence to secondary prevention in patients with ACS who were assisted by either SUS or PHCS. In this longitudinal prospective study, patients with ACS were admitted to the four cardiological reference hospitals of Sergipe, three of which assisted PHCS users, and one, SUS users. We analyzed the two patient care models with multiple logistic regression models for adherence to physical activity, pharmacotherapy, and smoking cessation. We enrolled 581 volunteers in this study: 44.1 % from SUS and 55.9 % from PHCS. PHCS users showed greater adherence to pharmacotherapy at both 30 and 180 (p = 0.001) days after ACS with better results in all classes of medications (p < 0.05) than SUS users did. They also showed better adherence to physical activity (p = 0.047). There was no distinction between the groups regarding smoking cessation. The secondary prevention measures after ACS were more effective in PHCS users than in SUS users due to better adherence, especially to pharmacotherapy and regular physical activity.

A comparison of invasive lobular carcinoma with other invasive breast cancers at Tygerberg Academic Hospital.

The second most common histological subtype of invasive breast carcinoma is invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) occuring with a frequency 10-15% in Western countries and approximately 5%, in Africa, the Middle East and Asia (AMA). Combined hormone replacement therapy (CHRT) is a risk factor for the development of ILC which is infrequently diagnosed at our centre.This study aimed to investigate the incidence and clinicopathological characteristics of ILC as compared to invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST). Clinical and pathological data on breast carcinoma patients attending the breast and endocrine unit at Tygerberg Academic Hospital since 2017 have been recorded on a Stellenbosch University REDCap® database. IBC-NST was the most frequent subtype diagnosed (83.9%) and ILC the second most common subtype (5.2%). Most ILCs were of luminal B intrinsic subtype, and the median size was slightly smaller than IBC-NST. There were significantly more grade 2 ILCs than IBC-NSTs (81.5% vs 50.9%). There was no statistical difference between stage and histological subtype. ILC has clinicopathological differences when compared to IBC-NST, although these were less pronounced in this study. The prevalence of ILC was similar to numbers reported in AMA. We hypothesise that there may be a discrepancy in the prevalence of ILC between public and private healthcare systems in South Africa, and that it may be due to differing trends in prescribing CHRT.

A comparison of invasive lobular carcinoma with other invasive breast cancers at Tygerberg Academic Hospital

BACKGROUND: The second most common histological subtype of invasive breast carcinoma is invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) occuring with a frequency 10-15% in Western countries and approximately 5%, in Africa, the Middle East and Asia (AMA). Combined hormone replacement therapy (CHRT) is a risk factor for the development of ILC which is infrequently diagnosed at our centre.This study aimed to investigate the incidence and clinicopathological characteristics of ILC as compared to invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST METHODS: Clinical and pathological data on breast carcinoma patients attending the breast and endocrine unit at Tygerberg Academic Hospital since 2017 have been recorded on a Stellenbosch University REDCap® database RESULTS: IBC-NST was the most frequent subtype diagnosed (83.9%) and ILC the second most common subtype (5.2%). Most ILCs were of luminal B intrinsic subtype, and the median size was slightly smaller than IBC-NST. There were significantly more grade 2 ILCs than IBC-NSTs (81.5% vs 50.9%). There was no statistical difference between stage and histological subtype CONCLUSION: ILC has clinicopathological differences when compared to IBC-NST, although these were less pronounced in this study. The prevalence of ILC was similar to numbers reported in AMA. We hypothesise that there may be a discrepancy in the prevalence of ILC between public and private healthcare systems in South Africa, and that it may be due to differing trends in prescribing CHRT

Use of Laughter for the Detection of Parkinson's Disease: Feasibility Study for Clinical Decision Support Systems, Based on Speech Recognition and Automatic Classification Techniques.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder which affects over 10 million people worldwide. Early detection and correct evaluation of the disease is critical for appropriate medication and to slow the advance of the symptoms. In this scenario, it is critical to develop clinical decision support systems contributing to an early, efficient, and reliable diagnosis of this illness. In this paper we present a feasibility study for a clinical decision support system for the diagnosis of PD based on the acoustic characteristics of laughter. Our decision support system is based on laugh analysis with speech recognition methods and automatic classification techniques. We evaluated different cepstral coefficients to identify laugh characteristics of healthy and ill subjects combined with machine learning classification models. The decision support system reached 83% accuracy rate with an AUC value of 0.86 for PD–healthy laughs classification in a database of 20,000 samples randomly generated from a pool of 120 laughs from healthy and PD subjects. Laughter could be employed for the efficient and reliable detection of PD; such a detection system can be achieved using speech recognition and automatic classification techniques; a clinical decision support system can be built using the above techniques. Significance: PD clinical decision support systems for the early detection of the disease will help to improve the efficiency of available and upcoming therapeutic treatments which, in turn, would improve life conditions of the affected people and would decrease costs and efforts in public and private healthcare systems.

Designing a Unified Healthcare Data System with Blockchain and Cryptography

The majority of public and private healthcare data systems across the globe are proprietary, making it difficult to coordinate and share data between medical institutions on different systems. For the United States, a technically and economically advanced nation, patients still face significant issues with healthcare data sharing, which contribute to inefficiencies in the healthcare system. Friction in data sharing is also prevalent in developing nations like India, where the lack of shareability of patient data leads to redundant tests and unnecessarily high healthcare costs. To improve the integrity and shareability of patient data, we propose a Unified Healthcare Data System, built with blockchain and cryptography. Under this system, patients are in control of their data, and can choose to share their data with doctors and institutions without traditional barriers. To ensure data integrity, blockchain is used to provide immutability and data ownership while cryptography is used to encrypt patient data and implement permissioned access. In this paper, we provide a working implementation of Unified Healthcare Data System and expand on the viability, impact, and evolution of this blockchain-based healthcare data system.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Antenatal Care

Objective: To assess how the antenatal population of a hospital was affected by the COVID -19 Pandemic.&#x0D; Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Antenatal Clinic of Government Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, for the month of August 2020.&#x0D; Methodology: The population in the antenatal clinic of a hospital were given a questionnaire with simple directed questions after consent.&#x0D; Results: All (150, 100%) of the antenatal population received their COVID-19 pandemic information from television. Most 147 (98%) did not feel embarrassed if they contracted COVID-19 infection, and 147 (98%) took precautions against it. The majority, 146 (97%) of women, had an antenatal check-up. Out of the total, 126 (84%) had a private check-up, but only 36 (24%) had more private visits than prior pregnancies. A significant number, 56 (37%), had to spend more than in prior pregnancies, but only 28 (18.6%) had fewer antenatal visits than before. Most 141 (94%) of women wanted a higher frequency of antenatal visits than the recommended 08 visits by the WHO.&#x0D; Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect antenatal care because of a well-established private health care system. The patients in prior pregnancies were already using the private sector.

The economic costs of insomnia comorbid with depression and anxiety disorders: an observational study at a sleep clinic in Mexico.

Significant advances documenting the costs associated with insomnia have been achieved. However, those related to insomnia associated with mood disorders remain understudied, even though insomnia is more severe in the presence of comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to determine the direct and indirect costs of insomnia associated with depression and anxiety disorders (DAD) from the perspective of the patient in a private healthcare system. This was an observational study of chronic insomnia associated with DAD at a private Sleep Disorders Clinic in Mexico City between 2019 and 2020. Patients were followed for up to one year. Healthcare resource utilization data were collected through clinical records. Direct and indirect costs associated with insomnia treatment were estimated through micro-costing. The estimated economic burden was projected to 5 years adjusting for inflation and discounting future costs. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed. The median cost of the first year of insomnia treatment associated with DAD was US$3537.57 per patient. The work productivity loss represented the highest economic burden (63.84%) followed by direct medical costs (28.32%), and the direct non-medical costs (7.85%). The estimated annual economic burden for patients treated in the private healthcare system in Mexico was US$293 million. The costs of insomnia associated with DAD at a private clinic in México were found to be high. The burden of the costs faced by these patients is substantial relative to the median income of the population. The economic costs at an individual and societal levels are substantial.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41105-022-00412-6.

Chronic pain patients in the Brazilian private healthcare system: a claim database study with the experts’ perspective

Objective: This study aimed to describe the demands and costs from chronic pain patients over the private Brazilian healthcare system. Methods: This was a retrospective claim database study to assess the resource utilization of pain patients in the private setting. We used a four-year follow-up period to assess inpatient, outpatient, and procedures reported. Further, we promoted a forum of discussion with five pain experts and healthcare managers to address the management of chronic pain and assistance models.Results: We identified 79,689 patients with chronic pain. The orthopedist was the main medical specialist consulted with a total number of 38,879 visits performed. The ophthalmologist, cardiologist, gynecologist, and general practitioner were also frequently consulted (rheumatologist was seldom consulted). Among non-medical specialists, the physical therapist was consulted 87,574 times by 12,342 patients (15% of the entire cohort), Among chronic pain patients, 96% performed at least one exam and 86% of the patients presented at least one ER visit during the follow-up period. In 4 years, we estimate that pain patients costed more than 3 billion reais to the private health care system. According to the experts’ opinions, a fragmented healthcare system and the lack of patient centered interdisciplinary approaches contributes to a high ineffective pain management leading to a high use of resources. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to change the chronic pain care model in the Brazilian private setting. Qualification in pain management, a multidisciplinary patient centered care, integrated approaches, pain centers, and patients’ education may help changing this scenario.

Healthcare system: Policies and performance in India and ASEAN countries

People seek health because it helps them achieve and maintain happiness. The length of life (longevity) and the quality of life are characteristics that can describe health.A well-functioning health system is predicated on having skilled and motivated health professionals, a well-maintained infrastructure, and a consistent supply of medications and technology, supported by enough financing, solid health plans, and evidence- based policies. Every nation, regardless of its public, private, or mixed health care system, confronts barriers and challenges with consideration to quality, quantity, delivery, and cost of services.The amount of economic growth and the political framework in existence determine how health care systems differ from country to country. Southeast Asia has a tremendous social, economic, and political diversity within countries. Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar are the ten countries that make up this region.The area comprises countries ranging from economic powerhouses like Singapore to impoverished economies like Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar is home to more than half a billion people.Although cross-country comparisons between health systems in high-income countries are common, this study was carried out to compare India with Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN), focusing on the performance of the healthcare system across all dimensions.

Inequity in psychiatric healthcare use in Australia

BackgroundDespite recent substantial mental healthcare reforms to increase the supply of healthcare, mental health inequality in Australia is rising. Understanding of the level of inequity (unmet need gap) in psychiatric service use in Australia’s mixed public–private health care system is lacking.ObjectiveTo present a novel method to measure inequity in the delivery of psychiatric care.MethodsData came from wave 9 (year 2009, n = 11,563) and wave 17 (year 2017, n = 16,194) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Multiple logistic regression was employed to estimate the psychiatric care utilisation compared to its need and the Gini index was used to estimate the standardised distribution of utilisation to measure the extent of inequity.ResultsThe results show the inequity indices (need-standardised Gini) in psychiatric care utilisation were significant and found to be 0.066 and 0.096 in 2009 and 2017, respectively, for all individuals. In 2009, the inequity indices were found to be 0.051 and 0.078 for males and females, respectively, and 0.045 and 0.068 for rural and urban residents, respectively. In 2017, the indices were calculated to be 0.081 and 0.109 for males and females, respectively, and 0.086 and 0.097 for rural and urban residents, respectively.ConclusionsThis study showed a marked increase in unmet needs in psychiatric care utilisation since 2009. There is a greater need to develop policies to improve equity in psychiatric care utilisation in Australia.