Secondary overtriage of isolated facial trauma.

DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Academic, tertiary care, level I trauma center in a rural state. BACKGROUND: Unnecessary transfer of certain facial trauma patients results in a burden of time, money, and other resources on both the patient and healthcare system; identification and development of outpatient treatment pathways for these patients is a significant opportunity for cost savings. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the treatment and disposition of un-complicated, stable, isolated facial trauma injuries transferred from outside hospitals and determine the significance of secondary overtriage. METHODS: Retrospective chart review utilizing our institutional trauma database, including patients transferred to our emergency department between January 2012 and December 2017. Patients were identified by ICD9 or ICD10 codes and only those with isolated facial trauma were included. RESULTS: We identified 538 isolated facial trauma patients who were transferred to our institution during the study period. The majority of those patients were transferred via ground ambulance for an average of 76 miles. Overall, 82% of patients (N = 440) were discharged directly from our institution's emergency department. Almost 30% of patients did not require any formal treatment for their injuries; the potential savings associated with elimination of these unnecessary transfers was estimated to be between $388,605 and $771,372. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a high rate of patients with stable, isolated facial trauma that could potentially be evaluated and treated without emergent transfer. The minimization of these unnecessary transfers represents a significant opportunity for cost and resource utilization savings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b- Economic and Cost Analysis.

Cost-effectiveness of sialendoscopy versus medical management for radioiodine-induced sialadenitis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The medical management and radiographic identification of radioiodine-induced sialadenitis (RAIS) is challenging. This study utilizes a cost-effectiveness analysis to compare upfront sialendoscopy as both a diagnostic and therapeutic option versus multiple modalities of diagnostic radiography along with medical management. STUDY DESIGN: Literature review and cost-effectiveness analysis. METHODS: A literature review was performed to identify the outcomes of medical management, sialendoscopy, diagnostic radiography, and surgical complications. All charges were obtained from the University of Mississippi Budget Office in 2017 US dollars and converted to costs using the 2017 Medicare Cost-to-Charge Ratio for urban medical centers. A cost-effectiveness analysis was used to evaluate the four treatment arms-sialendoscopy, medical management- ultrasound, medical management-computed tomography (CT) sialography, and medical management-magnetic resonance (MR) sialography. Sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate the confidence levels of the economic evaluation. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for upfront sialendoscopy versus medical management-ultrasound was $30,402.30, which demonstrates that sialendoscopy is the more cost-effective option given a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000. The probability that this decision is correct at a willingness-to-pay of $50,000 is 64.5%. Sialendoscopic improvement was the most sensitive variable requiring a threshold of 0.70. Of the three imaging modalities, ultrasound dominated MR and CT sialography, both of which required a willingness-to-pay of greater than $90,000 to realize a difference. CONCLUSIONS: Upfront sialendoscopy is more cost-effective compared to medical management utilizing diagnostic ultrasound assuming a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000. There is a clear cost-effectiveness to using ultrasound with medical management over CT and MR sialography in the diagnosis and management of RAIS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA. Laryngoscope, 1822-1828, 2018.

Diagnostic evaluation of inhalant allergies: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of modified quantitative testing (MQT), intradermal dilutional testing (IDT), and in vitro allergy testing as diagnostic methods used in the management of patients with suspected IgE-mediated inhalant allergies. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to determine key statistics for analysis, such as prevalence of disease, and sensitivity and specificity of each diagnostic modality. Costs were calculated based on charges from distribution companies to providers. A deterministic cost-effectiveness analysis then was conducted using a decision tree model to evaluate the various diagnostic strategies. After identifying results at baseline, we performed a sensitivity and threshold analysis to assess the strength of recommendations. RESULTS: At an allergic rhinitis prevalence of 20%, MQT dominated IDT and in vitro testing, with 85 people correctly diagnosed at a baseline total cost of $6630 for the 100 patients tested. Although in vitro testing had the highest effectiveness, it had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $3185. The results were sensitive to changes in the prevalence, costs, and sensitivities and specificities of the different modalities. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis is high and rising according to many studies, leading to a growing population of patients requiring allergy testing. Not only does today's medical community want effective health interventions, but also there is pressure to make health care cost efficient. This study looks at the cost-effectiveness of various diagnostic allergy tests. In our model, we found MQT to be the most cost-effective method of diagnosing allergic disease.

Economic analysis of the use of limited coronal computed tomography scans in the management of sinusitis.

BACKGROUND: As medical costs increase, less expensive alternatives to standard diagnostic tests are sought to reduce the economic burden placed on society. One alternative is using limited, non-consecutive cut computed tomography (CT) scans for the evaluation of sinonasal disease. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of using limited CT scans instead of full sequence CT scans in the diagnosis and management of rhinosinusitis. METHODS: A Medline search was performed to obtain data for the sensitivity and specificity of limited CT scans, the prevalence of abnormal CT scans, and recommendations on using limited CT scans for operative management. A standard cost-effectiveness analysis, including a sensitivity analysis, was performed using a hypothetical population of patients with sinus complaints who failed prior appropriate medical therapy. RESULTS: At baseline, the limited CT scan was found to be less cost-effective than the full CT scan, costing $217.13 more per correct diagnosis. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that changes in the prevalence of abnormal CT scans and the percentage of surgeons who would operate using a limited scan had the greatest impact on cost, whereas changes in the price of the full CT or limited CT scan had the least effect. CONCLUSIONS: This study finds the use of limited CT scans to be economically unsound as a method to reduce costs in the defined population. Published literature recommends obtaining a full CT scan before operative management. Basing intervention on limited CT scans increases the possibility of erroneous diagnoses leading to either excessive or inadequate treatment of patients.