Implementation of an audit and feedback module targeting low-value clinical practices in a provincial trauma quality assurance program: a cost-effectiveness study.

BACKGROUND: Audit and Feedback (A&F) interventions based on quality indicators have been shown to lead to significant improvements in compliance with evidence-based care including de-adoption of low-value practices (LVPs). Our primary aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding a hypothetical A&F module targeting LVPs for trauma admissions to an existing quality assurance intervention targeting high-value care and risk-adjusted outcomes. A secondary aim was to assess how certain A&F characteristics might influence its cost-effectiveness. METHODS: We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis using a probabilistic static decision analytic model in the Québec trauma care continuum. We considered the Québec Ministry of Health perspective. Our economic evaluation compared a hypothetical scenario in which the A&F module targeting LVPs is implemented in a Canadian provincial trauma quality assurance program to a status quo scenario in which the A&F module is not implemented. In scenarios analyses we assessed the impact of A&F characteristics on its cost-effectiveness. Results are presented in terms of incremental costs per LVP avoided. RESULTS: Results suggest that the implementation of A&F module (Cost = $1,480,850; Number of LVPs = 6,005) is associated with higher costs and higher effectiveness compared to status quo (Cost = $1,124,661; Number of LVPs = 8,228). The A&F module would cost $160 per LVP avoided compared to status quo. The A&F module becomes more cost-effective with the addition of facilitation visits; more frequent evaluation; and when only high-volume trauma centers are considered. CONCLUSION: A&F module targeting LVPs is associated with higher costs and higher effectiveness than status quo and has the potential to be cost-effective if the decision-makers' willingness-to-pay is at least $160 per LVP avoided. This likely represents an underestimate of true ICER due to underestimated costs or missed opportunity costs. Results suggest that virtual facilitation visits, frequent evaluation, and implementing the module in high-volume centers can improve cost-effectiveness.

Net-benefit regression with censored cost-effectiveness data from randomized or observational studies.

Cost-effectiveness analysis is an essential part of the evaluation of new medical interventions. While in many studies both costs and effectiveness (eg, survival time) are censored, standard survival analysis techniques are often invalid due to the induced dependent censoring problem. We propose methods for censored cost-effectiveness data using the net-benefit regression framework, which allow covariate-adjustment and subgroup identification when comparing two intervention groups. The methods provide a straightforward way to construct cost-effectiveness acceptability curves with censored data. We also propose a more efficient doubly robust estimator of average causal incremental net benefit, which increases the likelihood that the results will represent a valid inference in observational studies. Lastly, we conduct extensive numerical studies to examine the finite-sample performance of the proposed methods, and illustrate the proposed methods with a real data example using both survival time and quality-adjusted survival time as the measures of effectiveness.

Economic Evaluation of In-Hospital Clinical Practices in Acute Injury Care: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Underuse of high-value clinical practices and overuse of low-value practices are major sources of inefficiencies in modern healthcare systems. To achieve value-based care, guidelines and recommendations should target both underuse and overuse and be supported by evidence from economic evaluations. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the economic value of in-hospital clinical practices in acute injury care to advance knowledge on value-based care in this patient population. METHODS: Pairs of independent reviewers systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register for full economic evaluations of in-hospital clinical practices in acute trauma care published from 2009 to 2019 (last updated on June 17, 2020). Results were converted into incremental net monetary benefit and were summarized with forest plots. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020164494). RESULTS: Of 33 910 unique citations, 75 studies met our inclusion criteria. We identified 62 cost-utility, 8 cost-effectiveness, and 5 cost-minimization studies. Values of incremental net monetary benefit ranged from international dollars -467 000 to international dollars 194 000. Of 114 clinical interventions evaluated (vs comparators), 56 were cost-effective. We identified 15 cost-effective interventions in emergency medicine, 6 in critical care medicine, and 35 in orthopedic medicine. A total of 58 studies were classified as high quality and 17 as moderate quality. From studies with a high level of evidence (randomized controlled trials), 4 interventions were clearly dominant and 8 were dominated. CONCLUSIONS: This research advances knowledge on value-based care for injury admissions. Results suggest that almost half of clinical interventions in acute injury care that have been studied may not be cost-effective.

Parent Experience and Cost Savings Associated With a Novel Tele-physiatry Program for Children Living in Rural and Underserved Communities.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate parent and therapist experience and cost savings from the payer perspective associated with a novel tele-physiatry program for children living in rural and underserved communities. DESIGN: We designed a noninferiority, cluster-randomized crossover study at 4 school-based clinics to evaluate parent experience and perceived quality of care between a telemedicine-based approach in which the physiatrist conducts the visit remotely with an in-person therapist and a traditional in-person physiatrist clinic. SETTING: Four school-based clinics in Northern California. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 268 encounters (124 telemedicine and 144 in-person) were completed by 200 unique patients (N=200). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Parent and therapist experience scores. RESULTS: For parents and therapists, experience and perceived quality of care were high with no significant differences between telemedicine and in-person encounters. For parents whose children received a telemedicine encounter, 40 (54.8%) reported no preference for their child's subsequent encounter, 21 (28.8%) preferred a physiatrist telemedicine visit, and 12 (16.4%) preferred a physiatrist in-person visit. From the payer perspective, costs were $100 higher for in-person clinics owing to physician mileage reimbursement. CONCLUSIONS: We found that school-based tele-physiatry for children with special health care needs is not inferior to in-person encounters with regard to parent and provider experience and perceived quality of care. Tele-physiatry was also associated with an average cost savings of $100 per clinic to the payer.

Trends of paediatric head injury and acute care costs in Australia.

AIM: Paediatric head injuries (PHI) are the most common cause of trauma-related emergency department (ED) presentations. This study sought to report the incidence of PHI in Australia, examine the temporal trends from 2014 to 2018 and estimate the patient and population-level acute care costs. METHODS: Taking a public-sector health-care perspective, we applied direct and indirect hospital costs for PHI-related ED visits and acute admissions. All costs were inflated to 2018 Australian dollars ($). The patient-level analysis was performed with data from 17 841 children <18 years old enrolled in the prospective Australasian Paediatric Head Injury Study. Mechanisms of injury were characterised by the total and average acute care costs. The population-level data of PHI-related ED presentations were obtained from the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority. Age-standardised incidence rates (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated, and negative binomial regression examined the temporal trend. RESULTS: The age-standardised IR for PHI was 2734 per 100 000 population in 2018, with a significant increase over 5 years (IRR 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.14; P < 0.001) and acute care costs of $154 million. Falls occurred in 70% of the study cohort, with average costs per episode of $666 (95% CI: $627-$706), accounting for 47% of acute care costs. Transportation-related injuries occurred in 4.1% of the study cohort, with average costs per episode of $8555 (95% CI: $6193-$10 917), accounting for 35% of acute care costs. CONCLUSION: PHI have increased significantly in Australia and are associated with substantial acute care costs. Population-based efforts are required for road safety and injury prevention.

A Smart Technology Intervention in the Homes of People with Mental Illness and Physical Comorbidities.

Appropriate support in the home may not be readily available for people living in the community with mental illness and physical comorbidities. This mixed-method study evaluated a smart home technology intervention for individuals within this population as well as providing health care providers with health monitoring capabilities. The study recruited 13 participants who were offered a smartphone, a touchscreen monitor, and health devices, including smartwatches, weigh scales, and automated medication dispensers. Healthcare providers were able to track health device data, which were synchronized with the Lawson Integrated DataBase. Participants completed interviews at baseline as well as at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Focus groups with participants and care providers were conducted separately at 6-month and 12-month time points. As the sample size was too small for meaningful statistical inference, only descriptive statistics were presented. However, the qualitative analyses revealed improvements in physical and mental health, as well as enhanced communication with care providers and friends/family. Technical difficulties and considerations are addressed. Ethics analyses revealed advancement in equity and fairness, while policy analyses revealed plentiful opportunities for informing policymakers. The economic costs are also discussed. Further studies and technological interventions are recommended to explore and expand upon in-home technologies that can be easily implemented into the living environment.

The Rationale for Economic Evaluation in Speech and Language: Cost, Effectiveness, and Cost-effectiveness.

Economic evaluation studies the costs and outcomes of two or more alternative activities to estimate the relative efficiency of each course of action. Economic evaluation is both important and necessary in the management of speech and language issues. Economic evaluation can help focus attention on interventions that provide value for improving population health. The purpose of this article is to introduce readers to fundamental economic concepts. Readers are also introduced to common issues when conducting economic evaluations and how to address them in practice.

Analyzing a Cost-Effectiveness Dataset: A Speech and Language Example for Clinicians.

Cost-effectiveness analysis, the most common type of economic evaluation, estimates a new option's additional outcome in relation to its extra costs. This is crucial to study within the clinical setting because funding for new treatments and interventions is often linked to whether there is evidence showing they are a good use of resources. This article describes how to analyze a cost-effectiveness dataset using the framework of a net benefit regression. The process of creating estimates and characterizing uncertainty is demonstrated using a hypothetical dataset. The results are explained and illustrated using graphs commonly employed in cost-effectiveness analyses. We conclude with a call to action for researchers to do more person-level cost-effectiveness analysis to produce evidence of the value of new treatments and interventions. Researchers can utilize cost-effectiveness analysis to compare new and existing treatment mechanisms.

The cost-effectiveness of a culturally tailored parenting program: estimating the value of multiple outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Parenting programs can be economically attractive interventions for improving the mental health of both parents and their children. Few attempts have been made to analyse the value of children's and parent's outcomes simultaneously, to provide a qualified support for decision making. METHODS: A within trial cost-effectiveness evaluation was conducted, comparing Ladnaan, a culturally tailored parenting program for Somali-born parents, with a waitlist control. Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) for parents were estimated by mapping the General Health Questionnaire-12 to Euroqol's EQ-5D-3L to retrieve utilities. Behavioural problems in children were measured using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Intervention costs were estimated for the trial. A net benefit regression framework was employed to study the cost-effectiveness of the intervention, dealing with multiple effects in the same analysis to estimate different combinations of willingness-to pay (WTP) thresholds. RESULTS: For a WTP of roughly €300 for a one point improvement in total problems on the CBCL scale (children), Ladnaan is cost-effective. In contrast, the WTP would have to be roughly €580,000 per QALY (parents) for it to be cost-effective. Various combinations of WTP values for the two outcomes (i.e., CBCL and QALY) may be used to describe other scenarios where Ladnaan is cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Decision-makers interested in multiple effects must take into account combinations of effects in relation to budget, in order to obtain cost-effective results. A culturally adapted parenting program may be cost-effective, depending on the primary outcome, or multiple outcomes of interest. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02114593. Registered 15 April 2014-prospectively registered, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?recrs=&cond=&term=NCT02114593&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=.

The Effect of Rehospitalization and Emergency Department Visits on Subsequent Adherence to Weight Telemonitoring.

BACKGROUND: Weight telemonitoring may be an effective way to improve patients' ability to manage heart failure and prevent unnecessary utilization of health services. However, the effectiveness of such interventions is dependent upon patient adherence. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine how adherence to weight telemonitoring changes in response to 2 types of events: hospital readmissions and emergency department visits. METHODS: The Better Effectiveness After Transition-Heart Failure trial examined the effectiveness of a remote telemonitoring intervention compared with usual care for patients discharged to home after hospitalization for decompensated heart failure. Participants were followed for 180 days and were instructed to transmit weight readings daily. We used Poisson regression to determine the within-person effects of events on subsequent adherence. RESULTS: A total of 625 events took place during the study period. Most of these events were rehospitalizations (78.7%). After controlling for the number of previous events and discharge to a skilled nursing facility, the rate for adherence decreased by nearly 20% in the 2 weeks after a hospitalization compared with the 2 weeks before (adjusted rate ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.86; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing a rehospitalization had the effect of diminishing adherence to daily weighing. Providers using telemonitoring to monitor decompensation and manage medications should take advantage of the potential "teachable moment" during hospitalization to reinforce the importance of adherence.

Evidence for the Cost-Effectiveness of Return-to-Work Interventions for Mental Illness Related Sickness Absences: A Systematic Literature Review.

Purpose The purpose of this systematic literature review (SLR) is to examine the state of knowledge about the cost-effectiveness of return-to-work (RTW) interventions targeted at workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. Our SLR addresses the question, "What is the evidence for the cost-effectiveness of RTW interventions for mental illness related sickness absences?" Methods This SLR used a reviewer pair multi-phase screening of publically available peer-reviewed studies published between 2002 and 2019. Five electronic databases were searched: (1) MEDLINE 1946-Present, (2) MEDLINE: Epub-Ahead of Print and In-Process, (3) PsycINFO, (4) Econlit, and (5) Web of Science. Results 6138 unique citations were identified. Ten articles were included in the review. Eight of the ten studies were conducted in the Netherlands, one in Sweden, and one in Canada. Results of this SLR suggest there is evidence that RTW interventions for workers with medically certified sickness absences can be cost-effective. Conclusions Although this SLR's results suggest that economic evaluations of RTW interventions can be cost-effective, the use of economic evaluations for studies of these program types is in its infancy. Some jurisdictions (e.g., the Netherlands) seem to have recognized the need for economic evaluations. However, more research is needed in different disability system contexts. Furthermore, use of the standard economic evaluation approaches for healthcare interventions may limit the usefulness of results if the end-user is an employer or non-health organization. This may present the opportunity to introduce newer approaches that include work-related measures of effectiveness and analytical approaches.

How Are Incremental Cost-Effectiveness, Contextual Considerations, and Other Benefits Viewed in Health Technology Assessment Recommendations in the United States?

OBJECTIVES: To review assessments from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) and describe how cost-effectiveness, other benefits or disadvantages, and contextual considerations affect Council members' assessments of value. METHODS: Assessments published by the ICER between December 2014 and April 2019 were reviewed. Data on the assessment, intervention, results from cost-effectiveness analyses, and Council members' votes were extracted. Voting data were examined using bar charts and radar plots. Spearman's correlations between the number of votes for other benefits and contextual considerations were estimated. Two case studies (tisagenlecleucel and voretigene neparvovec) explored the relationship between different aspects of value and the vote. RESULTS: Thirty-one ICER assessments were reviewed, which included 51 value votes and 17 votes on other benefits and contextual considerations. On average, interventions with lower cost-effectiveness ratios received a higher proportion of high and intermediate value votes; however, there was heterogeneity across assessments. Of other benefits or disadvantages, having a novel mechanism of action received the most votes (n = 138), and reducing health disparities received the fewest (n = 24). Of contextual considerations, treating a condition that has a severe impact on length and quality of life received the most votes (n = 164). There was a strong positive correlation between votes for reduced caregiver/family burden and improving return to work/productivity (ρ = 0.88, P < .05). Two case studies highlighted that factors beyond cost-effectiveness can lead to lower (tisagenlecleucel) or higher (voretigene neparvovec) assessments of value. CONCLUSION: Council members' judgments about the value of interventions are influenced by other benefits or disadvantages and contextual considerations but anchored by cost-effectiveness.

Changing costs of type 1 diabetes care among US children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Modern therapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D) increasingly utilizes technology such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Prior analyses suggest that T1D costs are driven by preventable hospitalizations, but recent escalations in insulin prices and use of technology may have changed the cost landscape. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of T1D medical costs from 2012 to 2016 using the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a comprehensive database of deidentified administrative claims for commercial insurance enrollees. Our study population included 9445 individuals aged ≤18 years with T1D and ≥13 months of continuous enrollment. Costs were categorized into ambulatory care, hospital care, insulin, diabetes technology, and diabetes supplies. Mean costs for each category in each year were adjusted for inflation, as well as patient-level covariates including age, sex, race, census region, and mental health comorbidity. RESULTS: Mean annual cost of T1D care increased from $11 178 in 2012 to $17 060 in 2016, driven primarily by growth in the cost of insulin ($3285 to $6255) and cost of diabetes technology ($1747 to $4581). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the cost of T1D care is now driven by mounting insulin prices and growing utilization and cost of diabetes technology. Given the positive effects of pumps and CGMs on T1D health outcomes, it is possible that short-term costs are offset by future savings. Long-term cost-effectiveness analyses should be undertaken to inform providers, payers, and policy-makers about how to support optimal T1D care in an era of increasing reliance on therapeutic technology.

Health-related quality of life in neonates and infants: a conceptual framework.

PURPOSE: With reduced mortality of neonatal conditions, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important clinical outcome. However, since the meaning of HRQOL in dependent, non-autonomous infants and neonates remains largely undefined, HRQOL measurement and economic evaluation are limited due to the lack of age-specific methodology. The objective was to construct a conceptual framework of neonatal and infant HRQOL (NIHRQOL) which identifies factors relevant to the neonate and infant, their relationship with each other and the caregiving environment. METHODS: Using qualitative methods, a concept was developed based on in-depth analysis of verbatim records of two focus groups (6 caregivers, 6 healthcare providers) and five interviews with caregivers of chronically ill neonates/infants (n = 2), and healthcare professionals of a pediatric tertiary healthcare center (n = 3). Two analysts independently performed thematic analysis using an inductive and contextual approach. RESULTS: The majority of participants regarded NIHRQOL as an individual entity, which was closely related and strongly influenced by caregivers and family. It may be gauged by the perceived degree of effort required to achieve expected normalcy in everyday life for the neonate/infant and its family. The importance of individual HRQOL factors is developmental stage-dependent. CONCLUSION: Neonatal and infant HRQOL is a multidimensional, multilayered and interconnected concept, where the child's needs contribute most directly, and the caregiver's and society's ability to meet those needs characterize the interdependence between the child and its caregiving environment. Developmental stage-specific HRQOL instruments for premature and mature neonates, and infants are warranted to allow for valid HRQOL measurement.

Effectiveness of Alberta Family Integrated Care on infant length of stay in level II neonatal intensive care units: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Parents of infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are often unintentionally marginalized in pursuit of optimal clinical care. Family Integrated Care (FICare) was developed to support families as part of their infants' care team in level III NICUs. We adapted the model for level II NICUs in Alberta, Canada, and evaluated whether the new Alberta FICare™ model decreased hospital length of stay (LOS) in preterm infants without concomitant increases in readmissions and emergency department visits. METHODS: In this pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial conducted between December 15, 2015 and July 28, 2018, 10 level II NICUs were randomized to provide Alberta FICare™ (n = 5) or standard care (n = 5). Alberta FICare™ is a psychoeducational intervention with 3 components: Relational Communication, Parent Education, and Parent Support. We enrolled mothers and their singleton or twin infants born between 32 0/7 and 34 6/7 weeks gestation. The primary outcome was infant hospital LOS. We used a linear regression model to conduct weighted site-level analysis comparing adjusted mean LOS between groups, accounting for site geographic area (urban/regional) and infant risk factors. Secondary outcomes included proportions of infants with readmissions and emergency department visits to 2 months corrected age, type of feeding at discharge, and maternal psychosocial distress and parenting self-efficacy at discharge. RESULTS: We enrolled 654 mothers and 765 infants (543 singletons/111 twin cases). Intention to treat analysis included 353 infants/308 mothers in the Alberta FICare™ group and 365 infants/306 mothers in the standard care group. The unadjusted difference between groups in infant hospital LOS (1.96 days) was not statistically significant. Accounting for site geographic area and infant risk factors, infant hospital LOS was 2.55 days shorter (95% CI, - 4.44 to - 0.66) in the Alberta FICare™ group than standard care group, P = .02. Secondary outcomes were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Alberta FICare™ is effective in reducing preterm infant LOS in level II NICUs, without concomitant increases in readmissions or emergency department visits. A small number of sites in a single jurisdiction and select group infants limit generalizability of findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02879799 , retrospectively registered August 26, 2016.

Adherence to human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 testing and adjuvant trastuzumab treatment guidelines in Ontario.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated adherence of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 testing using immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization, as well as adjuvant trastuzumab treatment according to Canadian guidelines, and predictors of trastuzumab use in early-stage breast cancer in Ontario. METHODS: Retrospective cohort of early-stage breast cancer patients identified in the Ontario Cancer Registry. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 test type, sequence, result(s), tumor grade, and hormone receptor status were abstracted from Ontario Cancer Registry pathology reports. Trastuzumab treatment was determined from provincial cancer agency records. Other variables were determined from administrative data sources. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for factors associated with guideline adherence. RESULTS: The first human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 test result was the strongest predictor of confirmatory testing (p < 0.05). Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 testing by immunohistochemistry accounted for the majority of documented first tests (94%; n = 8249). Overall, 27% (n = 2360) of tested patients received a second test by fluorescence in situ hybridization (46%) or immunohistochemistry (49%) assay. Most human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 equivocal patients (89%; n = 784) received a confirmatory test. Among human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive patients, only 57% (n = 385) received trastuzumab treatment within the study period. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status was the strongest predictor of trastuzumab use. Younger patients (<70 years at diagnosis) and negative hormone receptor status had higher odds of trastuzumab treatment (p < 0.05) compared to older and positive hormone receptor status patients. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemistry use as a first test was largely consistent with Canadian guidelines; however, immunohistochemistry was frequently used as a confirmatory test, which is not guideline-concordant. Monitoring these testing and treating patterns is necessary to optimize health outcomes associated with trastuzumab.

Travel, Time, and Cost Savings Associated with a University Medical Center's Video Medical Interpreting Program.

Background: Patients with limited English proficiency experience disparities in health care access, quality, costs, and outcomes. Providing qualified medical interpreting services (MIS) in the health care setting can reduce these disparities. Unfortunately, health organizations face logistical and financial difficulties in meeting the need for qualified medical interpreters. Introduction: This descriptive review evaluated travel, time, and cost savings associated with video interpreting services compared to traditional in-person services. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all inpatient and outpatient medical interpreting encounters at a large academic hospital delivered through video and in person between 2006 and 2017. Outcome measures included interpreter travel distance, time, and cost for in-person encounters and savings associated with avoided travel for services provided through video. Results: We reviewed 281,701 interpreting encounters, including 249,357 in person and 32,344 by video. Video encounters occurred both for on-site and off-site visits. For on-site encounters, the use of video resulted in an average round trip walking distance saved of 0.75 miles (SD = 0.33) and an average round trip walking time saved of 14.75 min (SD = 6.30) per encounter. For off-site encounters, the use of video resulted in an average round trip driving distance saved of 8.63 miles (SD = 9.13), an average round trip driving time saved of 23.78 min (SD = 9.50), and an average round trip driving cost savings of $4.66 per encounter. Conclusions: This single institution review of the travel, time, and cost savings associated with providing MIS through video demonstrates the opportunity for more efficient use of time and resources.

Advantages of the net benefit regression framework for trial-based economic evaluations of cancer treatments: an example from the Canadian Cancer Trials Group CO.17 trial.

BACKGROUND: Economic evaluations commonly accompany trials of new treatments or interventions; however, regression methods and their corresponding advantages for the analysis of cost-effectiveness data are not widely appreciated. METHODS: To illustrate regression-based economic evaluation, we review a cost-effectiveness analysis conducted by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group's Committee on Economic Analysis and implement net benefit regression. RESULTS: Net benefit regression offers a simple option for cost-effectiveness analyses of person-level data. By placing economic evaluation in a regression framework, regression-based techniques can facilitate the analysis and provide simple solutions to commonly encountered challenges (e.g., the need to adjust for potential confounders, identify key patient subgroups, and/or summarize "challenging" findings, like when a more effective regimen has the potential to be cost-saving). CONCLUSIONS: Economic evaluations of patient-level data (e.g., from a clinical trial) can use net benefit regression to facilitate analysis and enhance results.

Clinical Outcomes and Costs Following Unplanned Excisions of Soft Tissue Sarcomas in the Elderly.

BACKGROUND: Surgical guidelines for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) emphasize pretreatment evaluation and reports of the perils of unplanned excision exist. Given the paucity of population-based data on this topic, our objective was to analyze clinical outcomes and costs of planned versus unplanned STS excisions in the Medicare population. METHODS: We analyzed 3913 surgical patients with STS ≥66 y old from 1992 to 2011 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare datafiles. Planned excisions were classified based on preoperative MRI and/or biopsy, whereas unplanned excisions were classified by excision as the first procedure. Inverse probability of treatment weighting with propensity scores was used to adjust for clinicopathologic differences. Re-excisions, complications, and Medicare payments were compared with multivariate models. Overall survival and disease-specific survival were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards and competing risk models. RESULTS: Before the first excision, 24.3% had an MRI and biopsy, 27.3% had an MRI, 11.4% had a biopsy, and 36.9% were unplanned. Re-excision rates were highest for unplanned excisions: 46.3% compared to 18.1%, 36.4%, and 29.7% for other groups (P < 0.0001). There was no difference in disease-specific survival or overall survival between groups (P > 0.05). Planned excisions were associated with increased Medicare costs (P < 0.05), with the first resection contributing to the majority of costs. Subgroup analyses by histologic grade and tumor size revealed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Survival was comparable with greater health care costs in elderly patients undergoing planned STS excision. Although unplanned excisions remain a quality of care issue with high re-excision rates, these data have important implications for the surgical management of STS in the elderly.

A Comparison of Healthcare Use and Costs for Workers with Psychiatric Disabilities Employed in Social Enterprises Versus Those Who Are Not Employed and Seeking Work.

Because of work's contribution to recovery, governments have moved to improve employment rates of people with severe mental disorders (SMDs). Social enterprises (SEs) have been identified as a means to achieve employment. In Ontario, Canada, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) have provided SEs government subsidies. Public funding arrangements create a potential trade-off for governments that must decide how to distribute constrained budgets to meet a variety of public needs. In Ontario, the government is potentially faced with choosing between supporting employment versus healthcare services. This study addresses the question, are there significant differences in service use and costs from the MOHLTC's perspective for people with SMDs working in SEs versus those who are not working and looking for work? Our results indicate there is a significant difference in healthcare use between the two groups suggesting there could be less healthcare use associated with SE employment.