Increased Virtual Visits to Physicians During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Estimated Impact on Physician Compensation: The Case of Lung and Colorectal Cancers, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, and Heart Failure in Alberta, Canada.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic started in Alberta in March 2020 and significantly increased telehealth service use and provision reducing the risk of virus transmission. We examined the change in the number and proportion of virtual visits by physician specialty and condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases [COPD], heart failure [HF], colorectal and lung cancers), as well as associated changes in physician compensation. Methods: A population-based design was used to analyze all processed physician claims comparing the number and proportion of virtual visits and associated physician billings relative to in-person between pre- (2019/2020) and intra-pandemic (2020/2021). Physician compensations were the claim amounts paid by the health insurance. Results: Pre-pandemic (intra-), there were 8,981 (8,897) lung cancer, 9,245 (9,029) colorectal, 37,558 (36,292) HF, and 68,270 (52,308) COPD patients. Each patient had totally 2.3-4.7 (of which 0.4-0.6% were virtual) general practitioner (GP) visits and 0.9-2.3 (0.2-0.7% were virtual) specialist visits per year pre-pandemic. The average number and proportion of per-patient virtual visits to GPs and specialists grew significantly pre- to intra-pandemic by 2,138-4,567%, and 2,201-7,104%, respectively. Given the lower fees of virtual compared with in-person visits, the reduction in physician compensation associated with the increased use of virtual care was estimated at $3.85 million, with $2.44 million attributed to specialist and $1.41 million to GP. Discussion: Utilization of telehealth increased significantly, while the physician billings per patient and physician compensation declined early in the pandemic in Alberta for the four chronic diseases considered. This study forms the basis for future study in understanding the impact of virtual care, now part of the fabric of health care delivery, on quality of care and patient safety, overall health service utilization (such as diagnostic imaging and other investigations), as well as economic impacts to patients, health care systems, and society.

Creating Value Through Learning Health Systems: The Alberta Strategic Clinical Network Experience.

Design, implementation, and evaluation of effective multicomponent interventions typically take decades before value is realized even when value can be measured. Value-based health care, an approach to improving patient and health system outcomes, is a way of organizing health systems to transform outcomes and achieve the highest quality of care and the best possible outcomes with the lowest cost. We describe 2 case studies of value-based health care optimized through a learning health system framework that includes Strategic Clinical Networks. Both cases demonstrate the acceleration of evidence to practice through scientific, financial, structural administrative supports and partnerships. Clinical practice interventions in both cases, one in perioperative services and the other in neonatal intensive care, were implemented across multiple hospital sites. The practical application of using an innovation pipeline as a structural process is described and applied to these cases. A value for money improvement calculator using a benefits realization approach is presented as a mechanism/tool for attributing value to improvement initiatives that takes advantage of available system data, customizing and making the data usable for frontline managers and decision makers. Health care leaders will find value in the descriptions and practical information provided.

Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Infection, Antibiotics, and Risk of Developing Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic administration to individuals with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection remains controversial. We assessed if antibiotic administration to individuals with STEC infection is associated with development of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). METHODS: The analysis included studies published up to 29 April 2015, that provided data from patients (1) with STEC infection, (2) who received antibiotics, (3) who developed HUS, and (4) for whom data reported timing of antibiotic administration in relation to HUS. Risk of bias was assessed; strength of evidence was adjudicated. HUS was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes restricted the analysis to low-risk-of-bias studies employing commonly used HUS criteria. Pooled estimates of the odds ratio (OR) were obtained using random-effects models. RESULTS: Seventeen reports and 1896 patients met eligibility; 8 (47%) studies were retrospective, 5 (29%) were prospective cohort, 3 (18%) were case-control, and 1 was a trial. The pooled OR, including all studies, associating antibiotic administration and development of HUS was 1.33 (95% confidence interval [CI], .89-1.99; I(2) = 42%). The repeat analysis including only studies with a low risk of bias and those employing an appropriate definition of HUS yielded an OR of 2.24 (95% CI, 1.45-3.46; I(2) = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, use of antibiotics was not associated with an increased risk of developing HUS; however, after excluding studies at high risk of bias and those that did not employ an acceptable definition of HUS, there was a significant association. Consequently, the use of antibiotics in individuals with STEC infections is not recommended.

Implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Across a Provincial Healthcare System: The ERAS Alberta Colorectal Surgery Experience.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) colorectal guideline implementation has occurred primarily in standalone institutions worldwide. We implemented the guideline in a single provincial healthcare system, and our study examined the effect of the guideline on patient outcomes [length of stay (LOS), complications, and 30-day post-discharge readmissions] across a healthcare system. METHODS: We compared pre- and post-guideline implementation in consecutive elective colorectal patients, ≥ 18 years, from six Alberta hospitals between February 2013 and December 2014. Participants were followed up to 30 days post discharge. We used summary statistics, to assess the LOS and complications, and multivariate regression methods to assess readmissions and to estimate cost impacts. RESULTS: A total of 1333 patients (350 pre- and 983 post-ERAS) were analysed. Of this number, 55 % were males. Median overall guideline compliance was 39 % in pre- and 60 % in post-ERAS patients. Median LOS was 6 days for pre-ERAS compared to 4.5 days in post-ERAS patients with the longest implementation (p value <0.0001). Adjusted risk ratio (RR) was 1.71, 95 % CI 1.09-2.68 for 30-day readmission, comparing pre- to post-ERAS patients. The proportion of patients who developed at least one complication was significantly reduced, from pre- to post-ERAS, difference in proportions = 11.7 %, 95 % CI 2.5-21.0, p value: 0.0139. The net cost savings attributable to guideline implementation ranged between $2806 and $5898 USD per patient. CONCLUSION: The findings in our study have shown that ERAS colorectal guideline implementation within a healthcare system resulted in patient outcome improvements, similar to those obtained in smaller standalone implementations. There was a significant beneficial impact of ERAS on scarce health system resources.

Post-Policy Implementation Review of Rapid Fetal Fibronectin (fFN) Testing for Preterm Labour in Alberta.

OBJECTIVES: In 2006, the Alberta Ministry of Health issued a policy to implement fetal fibronectin (fFN) testing as a publicly funded service for pregnant women. The goals were to reduce maternity health care utilization and unnecessary treatment, which would result in cost-savings for the health system by more accurately diagnosing false preterm labour. We conducted a post-policy implementation review to determine whether the policy implementation achieved its goals. METHODS: We assessed the impacts of fFN testing on clinical decision-making for ambulance transfer, hospital admission, and length of hospital stay by comparing these variables between the tested and untested patients. This post-implementation analysis was conducted separately for inpatients and outpatients and for true and false preterm labour, using multilevel regressions with episodes or visits being nested within patients. We then assessed the impact of fFN testing on costs to the health system by using decision-tree models populated with actual data and results from the regressions. RESULTS: The additional information, provided by fFN testing, influenced clinical decision-making. However, physicians placed a greater significance on positive test results than on negative results, which resulted in an inadvertent increase in health care utilization. After including the costs of fFN testing, the total cost to the system increased by $4.2 million (in 2014 Canadian dollars) between 2008 and 2013, with contributions of $700 000 for false labour and $3.5 million for true preterm labour. CONCLUSION: The policy to adopt fFN testing in Alberta did not achieve the intended aims of reducing unnecessary health care utilization to achieve cost-savings for the health system. There was an inherent tendency to err on the side of caution, and physicians were influenced more by positive test results.

An economic evaluation of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) multisite implementation program for colorectal surgery in Alberta

BACKGROUND: In February 2013, Alberta Health Services established an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) implementation program for adopting the ERAS Society colorectal guidelines into 6 sites (initial phase) that perform more than 75% of all colorectal surgeries in the province. We conducted an economic evaluation of this initiative to not only determine its cost-effectiveness, but also to inform strategy for the spread and scale of ERAS to other surgical protocols and sites. METHODS: We assessed the impact of ERAS on patients’ health services utilization (HSU; length of stay [LOS], readmissions, emergency department visits, general practitioner and specialist visits) within 30 days of discharge by comparing pre- and post-ERAS groups using multilevel negative binomial regressions. We estimated the net health care costs/savings and the return on investment (ROI) associated with those impacts for post-ERAS patients using a decision analytic modelling technique. RESULTS: We included 331 pre- and 1295 post-ERAS patients in our analyses. ERAS was associated with a reduction in all HSU outcomes except visits to specialists. However, only the reduction in primary LOS was significant. The net health system savings were estimated at $2 290 000 (range $1 191 000–$3 391 000), or $1768 (range $920–$2619) per patient. The probability for the program to be cost-saving was 73%–83%. In terms of ROI, every $1 invested in ERAS would bring $3.8 (range $2.4–$5.1) in return. CONCLUSION: The initial phase of ERAS implementation for colorectal surgery in Alberta is cost-saving. The total savings has the potential to be more substantial when ERAS is spread for other surgical protocols and across additional sites.

An economic evaluation of the parent-child assistance program for preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Alberta, Canada.

Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP) is a 3-year home visitation/harm reduction intervention to prevent alcohol exposed births, thereby births with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, among high-risk women. This article used a decision analytic modeling technique to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and the net monetary benefit of the P-CAP within the Alberta Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Service Networks in Canada. The results indicate that the P-CAP is cost-effective and support placing a high priority not only on reducing alcohol use during pregnancy, but also on providing effective contraceptive measures when a program is launched.

Medical tourism and bariatric surgery: who pays?

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to determine the short-term cost impact that medical tourism for bariatric surgery has on a public healthcare system. Due to long wait times for bariatric surgery services, Canadians are venturing to private clinics in other provinces/countries. Postoperative care in this population not only burdens the provincial health system with intervention costs required for complicated patients, but may also impact resources allotted to patients in the public clinic. METHODS: A chart review was performed from January 2009 to June 2013, which identified 62 medical tourists requiring costly interventions related to bariatric surgery. Secondarily, a survey was conducted to estimate the frequency of bariatric medical tourists presenting to general surgeons in Alberta, necessary interventions, and associated costs. A threshold analysis was used to compare costs of medical tourism to those from our institution. RESULTS: A conservative cost estimate of $1.8 million CAD was calculated for all interventions in 62 medical tourists. The survey established that 25 Albertan general surgeons consulted 59 medical tourists per year: a cost of approximately $1 million CAD. Medical tourism was calculated to require a complication rate ≤ 28% (average intervention cost of $37,000 per patient) to equate the cost of locally conducted surgery: a rate less than the current supported evidence. Conducting 250 primary bariatric surgeries in Alberta is approximately $1.9 million less than the modeled cost of treating 250 medical tourists returning to Alberta. CONCLUSIONS: Medical tourism has a substantial impact on healthcare costs in Alberta. When compared to bariatric medical tourists, the complication rate for locally conducted surgery is less, and the cost of managing the complications is also much less. Therefore, we conclude that it is a better use of resources to conduct bariatric surgery for Albertan residents in Alberta than to fund patients to seek surgery out of province/country.

Does performance-based remuneration for individual health care practitioners affect patient care?: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Pay-for-performance (P4P) is increasingly touted as a means to improve health care quality. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of P4P remuneration targeting individual health care providers. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, OpenSIGLE, Canadian Evaluation Society Unpublished Literature Bank, New York Academy of Medicine Library Grey Literature Collection, and reference lists were searched up until June 2012. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently identified original research papers (randomized, controlled trials; interrupted time series; uncontrolled and controlled before-after studies; and cohort comparisons). DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently extracted the data. DATA SYNTHESIS: The literature search identified 4 randomized, controlled trials; 5 interrupted time series; 3 controlled before-after studies; 1 nonrandomized, controlled study; 15 uncontrolled before-after studies; and 2 uncontrolled cohort studies. The variation in study quality, target conditions, and reported outcomes precluded meta-analysis. Uncontrolled studies (15 before-after studies, 2 cohort comparisons) suggested that P4P improves quality of care, but higher-quality studies with contemporaneous controls failed to confirm these findings. Two of the 4 randomized trials were negative, and the 2 statistically significant trials reported small incremental improvements in vaccination rates over usual care (absolute differences, 8.4 and 7.8 percentage points). Of the 5 interrupted time series, 2 did not detect any improvements in processes of care or clinical outcomes after P4P implementation, 1 reported initial statistically significant improvements in guideline adherence that dissipated over time, and 2 reported statistically significant improvements in blood pressure control in patients with diabetes balanced against statistically significant declines in hemoglobin A1c control. LIMITATION: Few methodologically robust studies compare P4P with other payment models for individual practitioners; most are small observational studies of variable quality. CONCLUSION: The effect of P4P targeting individual practitioners on quality of care and outcomes remains largely uncertain. Implementation of P4P models should be accompanied by robust evaluation plans. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Benefits of pharmaceutical innovation: the case of simvastatin in Canada.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of pharmaceutical innovations are widely diffused; they accrue to the healthcare providers, patients, employers, and manufacturers. We estimate the societal monetary benefits of simvastatin in Canada and its distribution among different beneficiaries overtime. METHODS: Monetary benefits to developing and generic manufacturers were estimated by calculating public and private revenues minus the development costs of simvastatin and the contribution toward further research and development. We used a dynamic Markov model to estimate monetary benefits to healthcare and employment sectors in terms of cost avoidance associated with prevented cardiovascular events, including stroke and myocardial infarction, and lost productivity due to disability and premature death in working population. RESULTS: Cumulative monetary benefits of simvastatin from 1990 to 2009 were $4.8 billion (2010 CA$), of which developing and generic manufacturers, and healthcare and employment sectors accounted for 32 percent, 27 percent, 32 percent, and 9 percent, respectively. The yearly trend showed that after the patent expired in 2002 the generic manufacturers became dominant in the market. Benefits for the healthcare sector started to decrease from 2003 corresponding to the decreasing population taking simvastatin during the same time period. Sensitivity analysis showed the higher the compliance or the efficacy, the larger the benefits to healthcare and employment sectors, while monetary benefits for manufacturers were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Societal monetary benefits of simvastatin are significant and the distributions of the benefits have changed overtime. Patent, compliance, and efficacy play a vital role in the estimation of the benefits. Analysis of all beneficiaries separately overtime is important when assessing the value of pharmaceutical innovation.

Blood pressure kiosks for medication therapy management programs: business opportunity for pharmacists.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an economic model based on the use of pharmacy-based blood pressure kiosks for case finding of remunerable medication therapy management (MTM) opportunities. DESIGN: Descriptive, exploratory, nonexperimental study. SETTING: Ontario, Canada, between January 2010 and September 2011. PATIENTS: More than 7.5 million blood pressure kiosk readings were taken from 341 pharmacies. INTERVENTION: A model was developed to estimate revenues achievable by using blood pressure kiosks for 1 month to identify a cohort of patients with blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or more and caring for those patients during 1 year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Revenue generated from MTM programs. RESULTS: Pharmacies could generate an average of $12,270 (range $4,523-24,420) annually in revenue from billing for MTM services. CONCLUSION: Blood pressure kiosks can be used to identify patients with elevated blood pressure who may benefit from reimbursable pharmacist cognitive services. Revenue can be reinvested to purchase automated dispensing technology or offset pharmacy technician costs to free pharmacists to provide pharmaceutical care. Improved patient outcomes, increased patient loyalty, and improved adherence are additional potential benefits.

Cost-effectiveness of 21 alternative cervical cancer screening strategies.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the cost-effectiveness of 21 alternative cervical cancer screening (CCS) strategies. METHODS: A cohort simulation model was developed to determine from a health systems perspective the cost-effectiveness of the 21 alternative CCS strategies that incorporated combinations of Papanicolaou's smear test (PAP), liquid-based cytology (LBC) or human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid (HPV-DNA) testing. The model was calibrated to categorize total costs into four budgetary authorities: testing, physician, inpatient, and outpatient services. Within each category, alternative screening strategies were contrasted in terms of their cost impacts and the percent change calculated within each category. Epidemiologic data and costs were derived from administrative health databases. Estimates of test characteristics and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were derived from available literature. RESULTS: Three-year screening with PAP and HPV-DNA triage testing for women older than 30 years of age (3-year PAP+HPV+PAP-age) is less costly and more effective saving $16,078 per additional QALY gained. Although there was an associated net cost decrease of 4.2% driven by a reduction in testing and physician costs of 22.1% and 18.6%, respectively, there is a cost increase of 0.8% and 27.7% in inpatient and outpatient services, respectively. CONCLUSION: There is economic evidence to support adopting 3-year PAP+HPV+PAP-age. Budgetary resources can potentially be shifted from testing and physician services to fund the additional resource requirements for inpatient and outpatient services.

Value in Healthcare: Designing an Integrated Value-Based Healthcare System.

Value-based healthcare (VBHC) can be interpreted in many ways depending on one's jurisdiction. Often it is used synonymously with cost-effectiveness. In Alberta, VBHC might more appropriately be termed "values-based healthcare." This reflects our belief that a healthcare system should meet the needs and desires of its population and contribute to overall wellness. We therefore developed a framework based on the dimensions of quality, the Quadruple Aim and feasibility considerations, which enables us to assess and measure our system activities and initiatives to determine if they are in keeping with VBHC in the Alberta context.

The willingness to pay for reducing pain and pain-related disability.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to identify chronic pain patients' preferences for levels of improvement in pain-related morbidity (PRM) by measuring their willingness to pay (WTP) for reducing their pain intensity and pain-related disability. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional nonrandomized design. Participants were recruited from a tertiary multidisciplinary pain center in Canada. A computer-administered discrete-choice experiment was used to explore participants' WTP for various levels of improvement to PRM. Participants chose between two varying combination of treatments that differed in terms of their level of improvement in pain intensity, level of improvement in pain-related disability, and out-of-pocket monthly cost. RESULTS: The WTP to completely minimize PRM was $1428 per month. Reduction in pain intensity was valued more highly than functional improvement. For every dollar, an individual was WTP to improve his/her disability to the lowest severity (mild), he/she was WTP approximately $2 to reduce pain intensity to moderate and $3 to reduce pain intensity to mild. The potential return on investment in terms of health improvement gained was $3318 per patient visit per year. CONCLUSION: The morbidity associated with chronic pain is worth approximately $1428 for every month in the chronic pain health state. From the patient's perspective, treatment and management strategies that focus on reducing pain intensity would have the greatest impact on improving health-related quality of life. Valuing health improvement in monetary terms allows for direct monetary comparisons between the costs of chronic pain interventions and their associated health returns.

Cancer screening among the overweight and obese in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Despite increased cancer incidence and mortality among overweight and obese men and women, U.S. studies have reported the reduced use of cancer screening among these subjects. We sought to analyze the relationship between overweight/obesity and cancer screening practices using population-based Canadian data. METHODS: Responses from adults surveyed in the Canadian Community Health Survey 2003 who provided complete information regarding variables of interest were analyzed. Cancer screening modalities included Pap smear testing, mammography, and fecal occult blood testing, and were based on contemporary recommendations of the Canadian Task Force for Preventive Health. The association between overweight/obesity and cancer screening was explored using logistic regression after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, health habits, healthcare access, and obesity-related comorbidity. The analysis was conducted in 2007. RESULTS: Compared to normal-weight controls, overweight and obese women were significantly less likely to have undergone cervical cancer screening. In the fully adjusted model, increasing obesity was associated with decreasing odds of Pap smear testing, with overweight, Class-I, -II, and -III obesity having 95% ORs of 0.87 (0.81, 0.94); 0.79 (0.72, 0.88); 0.62 (0.54, 0.71); and 0.61 (0.53, 0.72), respectively. The prevalence of biennial breast and colorectal cancer screenings was largely unaffected by weight in the adjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity are associated with markedly lower utilization of cervical cancer screening, despite increased disease risks. This association is independent of sociodemographic factors, comorbidity, and healthcare access. This is consistent with findings in U.S. populations, and suggests that patient and provider factors serve as greater barriers to screening than do healthcare system factors.

Cost effectiveness of enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot testing for the diagnosis of syphilis.

The burden of disease and associated health-care costs of syphilis are significant despite widespread screening and treatment. Our objective was to conduct an economic evaluation using a simulation model when comparing enzyme immunoassay (EIA) initial testing and Inno-Lia (IL) confirmatory testing (EIA + IL) with rapid plasma reagin (RPR) initial testing and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay (TPPA) and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption assay (FTA-ABS) confirmatory testing (RPR + TPPA/FTA). Estimates of prevalence, test costs and utilization of services for 2006 were derived from Alberta databases. Estimates of test characteristics were derived from the available literature. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was Canadian $461 per additional correct diagnosis (less costly and more effective). EIA + IL is cost-effective when compared with RPR + TPPA/FTA for screening and diagnosis of syphilis.

Cost-effectiveness of combination therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that combination therapy (CT) in the form of long-acting beta(2)-agonists (LABAs) and inhaled corticosteroids can improve lung function for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OBJECTIVE: To determine the cost-effectiveness of using CT in none, all or a selected group of COPD patients. METHODS: A Markov model was designed to compare four treatment strategies: no use of CT regardless of COPD severity (patients receive LABA only); use of CT in patients with stage 3 disease only (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV(1)] less than 35% of predicted); use of CT in patients with stages 2 and 3 disease only (FEV(1) less than 50% of predicted); and use of CT in all patients regardless of severity of COPD. Estimates of mortality, exacerbation and disease progression rates, quality- adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs were derived from the literature. Three-year and lifetime time horizons were used. The analysis was conducted from a health systems perspective. RESULTS: CT was associated with a cost of $39,000 per QALY if given to patients with stage 3 disease, $47,500 per QALY if given to patients with stages 2 and 3 disease, and $450,333 per QALY if given to all COPD patients. Results were robust to various assumptions tested in a Monte Carlo simulation. CONCLUSION: Providing CT for COPD patients in stage 2 or 3 disease is cost-effective. The message to family physicians and specialists is that as FEV(1) worsens and reaches 50% of predicted values, CT is recommended.

Health Technology Optimization Analysis: Conceptual Approach and Illustrative Application.

We present a conceptual approach to determine the optimal solution to delivering a health technology, consistent with the objective of maximizing patient outcomes subject to resources available to a publicly funded health system. The article addresses two key policy questions: 1) adding system values through appropriate planning of health services delivery and 2) considering the tradeoff between patient outcomes and costs to the health system through appropriate use of health technologies for conditions with time-dependent treatment outcomes. We develop a health technology optimization framework that considers geographical variation and searches for the best delivery method through a pairwise comparison of all possible strategies, factoring in controlled variables including disease epidemiology, time or distance to hospitals, available medical services, treatment eligibility, treatment efficacy, and costs. Taking variations of these factors into account would help support a more efficient allocation of health resources. Drawing identified strategies together then creates a map of optimal strategies. We apply the proposed method to a policy-relevant health technology assessment of endovascular therapy (EVT) for treating acute ischemic stroke. The best strategy for providing EVT relies on the geographical location of stroke onset and the decision maker's preference for either patient outcomes or economic efficiency. The proposed method produced an optimization map showing the optimal strategy for EVT delivery, which maximizes patient outcomes while minimizing health system costs. In the illustrative case study, there were no tradeoffs between health outcomes and costs, meaning that the delivery strategies that were clinically optimal for patients were also the most cost-effective. In conclusion, the health technology optimization approach is a useful tool for informing implementation decisions and coordinating the delivery of complex health services such as EVT.

Health care utilization and changes in health status over time for migraineurs.

BACKGROUND: Determining how migraineurs manage their condition from the viewpoint of health resource utilization (including both medical and personal resources) may provide insights that could lead to more effective care strategies. OBJECTIVES: To determine the relative importance of modifiable health-influencing activities for migraineurs, and to compare the effects of these activities between migraineurs and nonmigraineurs in the general population. METHODS: Linear regression analysis was applied to all persons older than 19 years of age with migraine in the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.1. The dependent variable was reported health status change over time. Explanatory variables were a series of health care utilization, health behaviour and background control variables. RESULTS: Results showed that health status was positively associated with higher levels of physical activity and negatively associated with smoking for both migraineurs and nonmigraineurs, even when controlling for all other variables. CONCLUSION: By modifying controllable resources and behaviours, the reported health status of migraineurs can be improved as effectively as nonmigraineurs.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Total Hip Arthroplasty Performed by a Canadian Short-Stay Surgical Team in Ecuador.

BACKGROUND: Few charitable overseas surgical missions produce cost-effectiveness analyses of their work. METHODS: We compared the pre- and postoperative health status for 157 total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients operated on from 2007 to 2011 attended by an annual Canadian orthopedic mission to Ecuador to determine the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. The costs of each mission are known. The cost per surgery was divided by the average lifetime QALYs gained to estimate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in Canadian dollars per QALY. RESULTS: The average lifetime QALYs (95% CI) gained were 1.46 (1.4-1.5), 2.5 (2.4-2.6), and 2.9 (2.7-3.1) for unilateral, bilateral, and staged (two THAs in different years) operations, respectively. The ICERs were $4,442 for unilateral, $2,939 for bilateral, and $4392 for staged procedures. Seventy percent of the mission budget was spent on the transport and accommodation of volunteers. CONCLUSION: THA by a Canadian short-stay surgical team was highly cost-effective, according to criteria from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the World Health Organization. We encourage other international missions to provide similar cost-effectiveness data to enable better comparison between mission types and between mission and nonmission care.