The case for investment in eye health: systematic review and economic modelling analysis.

Objective: To assess how the returns on investment from correcting refractive errors and cataracts in low- and middle-income countries compare with the returns from other global development interventions. Methods: We adopted two complementary approaches to estimate benefit-cost ratios from eye health investment. First, we systematically searched PubMed® and Web of Science™ on 14 August 2023 for studies conducted in low-and-middle-income countries, which have measured welfare impacts associated with correcting refractive errors and cataracts. Using benefit-cost analysis, we compared these impacts to costs. Second, we employed an economic modelling analysis to estimate benefit-cost ratios from eye health investments in India. We compared the returns from eye health to returns in other domains across global health and development. Findings: We identified 21 studies from 10 countries. Thirteen outcomes highlighted impacts from refractive error correction for school students. From the systematic review, we used 17 out of 33 outcomes for benefit-cost analyses, with the median benefit-cost ratio being 36. The economic modelling approach for India generated benefit-cost ratios ranging from 28 for vision centres to 42 for school eye screening, with an aggregate ratio of 31. Comparing our findings to the typical investment in global development shows that eye health investment returns six times more benefits (median benefit-cost ratio: 36 vs 6). Conclusion: Eye health investments provide economic benefits with varying degrees based on the intervention type and location. Our findings underline the importance of incorporating eye health initiatives into broader development strategies for substantial societal returns.

Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing in-office posterior nasal nerve ablation to surgical therapies.

BACKGROUND: Recently, in-office posterior nasal nerve ablation (PNA) devices have offered a new tool to treat refractory chronic rhinitis, but their cost-effectiveness relative to traditional interventions such as vidian neurectomy (VN) and posterior nasal neurectomy (PNN) remains unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To compare the cost-effectiveness of these interventions in patients with refractory chronic rhinitis. METHODS: A decision tree with embedded Markov models was created to compare the cost-effectiveness of PNN, VN, and PNA, measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over a 30-year time horizon with a $100,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. One- and two-way sensitivity analyses were completed. RESULTS: Sensitivity analysis found that in-office PNA became cost-effective compared to VN when patients undergoing PNA were less than 20 % more likely than VN to have symptoms recur; this value was assumed to be twice as likely in the base case. In the base case, however, VN and in-office PNA were more effective and less expensive than PNN, while VN was cost-effective when compared to in-office PNA (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio $11,616.24/QALY). Other assumptions were not found to considerably impact incremental cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Although highly limited by currently available data, PNA may be cost-effective compared to VN as long-term outcomes on the durability of its effects emerge. These data should not be used by payers considering coverage or utilization since long-term data is still nascent. However, that as new technologies emerge for rhinitis, it will be important to monitor longer-term outcomes to identify high value care, but based on limited data PNA devices may meet this standard.

Potential Lost Productivity Resulting from the Global Burden of Myopia: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Modeling.

PURPOSE: We estimated the potential global economic productivity loss resulting from vision impairment (VI) and blindness as a result of uncorrected myopia and myopic macular degeneration (MMD) in 2015. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the economic burden of VI associated with myopia is critical to addressing myopia as an increasingly prevalent public health problem. METHODS: We estimated the number of people with myopia and MMD corresponding to critical visual acuity thresholds. Spectacle correction coverage was analyzed against country-level variables from the year of data collection; variation in spectacle correction was described best by a model based on a human development index, with adjustments for urbanization and age. Spectacle correction and myopia data were combined to estimate the number of people with each level of VI resulting from uncorrected myopia. We then applied disability weights, labor force participation rates, employment rates, and gross domestic product per capita to estimate the potential productivity lost among individuals with each level and type of VI resulting from myopia in 2015 in United States dollars (US$). An estimate of care-associated productivity loss also was included. RESULTS: People with myopia are less likely to have adequate optical correction if they are older and live in a rural area of a less developed country. The global potential productivity loss associated with the burden of VI in 2015 was estimated at US$244 billion (95% confidence interval [CI], US$49 billion-US$697 billion) from uncorrected myopia and US$6 billion (95% CI, US$2 billion-US$17 billion) from MMD. Our estimates suggest that the Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia Global Burden of Disease regions bear the greatest potential burden as a proportion of their economic activity, whereas East Asia bears the greatest potential burden in absolute terms. CONCLUSIONS: Even under conservative assumptions, the potential productivity loss associated with VI and blindness resulting from uncorrected myopia is substantially greater than the cost of correcting myopia.

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants in emergency medical services who billed independently, 2012-2016.

OBJECTIVE: As nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) become an integral part of delivering emergency medical services, we examined the involvement of NPs and PAs who billed independently in emergency departments (EDs). METHODS: We used Medicare provider utilization and payment data from 2012 to 2016 to conduct a retrospective analysis. We examined the changes in the number of each clinician type who billed independently for four common emergency services (CPT codes: 99282-5), the change in their service volume, and the change in their average number of services billed. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2016, the proportion of NPs and PAs billing independently increased from 18% to 22% for ED visits of low severity (99282), 23% to 29% for visits with moderate severity (99283), 21% to 27% for visits with high severity (99284), 18% to 24% for visit with the highest severity (99285), and 23% to 29% across all four services. The proportion of services provided by emergency physicians decreased from 66% to 63% across all four services, and from 11% to 9% for internists and family physicians. The number of NPs, PAs billing independently, and emergency physicians increased by 65%, 35% and 12% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NPs and PAs are increasingly billing emergency services of all levels of severity, independent of physicians. This trend is driven by a growing number of NPs and PAs independently billing services, despite a relatively stable number of emergency physicians (excepting the decline in rural areas), and diminished involvement of family physicians and internists in EDs.

Impact of Experience Corps® Participation on Children's Academic Achievement and School Behavior.

This article reports on the impact of the Experience Corps® (EC) Baltimore program, an intergenerational, school-based program aimed at improving academic achievement and reducing disruptive school behavior in urban, elementary school students in Kindergarten through third grade (K-3). Teams of adult volunteers aged 60 and older were placed in public schools, serving 15 h or more per week, to perform meaningful and important roles to improve the educational outcomes of children and the health and well-being of volunteers. Findings indicate no significant impact of the EC program on standardized reading or mathematical achievement test scores among children in grades 1-3 exposed to the program. K-1st grade students in EC schools had fewer principal office referrals compared to K-1st grade students in matched control schools during their second year in the EC program; second graders in EC schools had fewer suspensions and expulsions than second graders in non-EC schools during their first year in the EC program. In general, both boys and girls appeared to benefit from the EC program in school behavior. The results suggest that a volunteer engagement program for older adults can be modestly effective for improving selective aspects of classroom behavior among elementary school students in under-resourced, urban schools, but there were no significant improvements in academic achievement. More work is needed to identify individual- and school-level factors that may help account for these results.

Going Beyond Clinical Care to Reduce Health Care Spending: Findings From the J-CHiP Community-based Population Health Management Program Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Addressing both clinical and nonclinical determinants of health is essential for improving population health outcomes. In 2012, the Johns Hopkins Community Health Partnership (J-CHiP) implemented innovative population health management programs across acute and community environments. The community-based program involved multidisciplinary teams [ie, physicians, care managers (CM), health behavior specialists (HBS), community health workers, neighborhood navigators] and collaboration with community-based organizations to address social determinants. OBJECTIVES: To report the impact of a community-based program on cost and utilization from 2011 to 2016. DESIGN: Difference-in-difference estimates were calculated for an inclusive cohort of J-CHiP participants and matched nonparticipants. The analysis was replicated for participants with a CM and/or HBS to estimate the differential impact with more intensive program services. SUBJECTS: A total of 3268 high-risk Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries (1634 total J-CHiP participants, 1365 with CM and 678 with HBS). OUTCOME MEASURES: Paid costs and counts of emergency department visits, admissions, and readmissions per member per year. RESULTS: For Medicaid, costs were almost $1200 per member per year lower for participants as a whole, $2000 lower for those with an HBS, and $3000 lower for those with a CM; hospital admission and readmission rates were 9%-26% lower for those with a CM and/or HBS. For Medicare, costs were lower (-$476), but utilization was similar or higher than nonparticipants. None of the observed Medicaid or Medicare differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although not statistically significant, the results indicate a promising innovation for Medicaid beneficiaries. For Medicare, the impact was negligible, indicating the need for further program modification.

Costs and consequences: Hepatitis C seroprevalence in the military and its impact on potential screening strategies.

UNLABELLED: Knowledge of the contemporary epidemiology of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection among military personnel can inform potential Department of Defense screening policy. HCV infection status at the time of accession and following deployment was determined by evaluating reposed serum from 10,000 service members recently deployed to combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the period 2007-2010. A cost model was developed from the perspective of the Department of Defense for a military applicant screening program. Return on investment was based on comparison between screening program costs and potential treatment costs avoided. The prevalence of HCV antibody-positive and chronic HCV infection at accession among younger recently deployed military personnel born after 1965 was 0.98/1000 (95% confidence interval 0.45-1.85) and 0.43/1000 (95% confidence interval 0.12-1.11), respectively. Among these, service-related incidence was low; 64% of infections were present at the time of accession. With no screening, the cost to the Department of Defense of treating the estimated 93 cases of chronic HCV cases from a single year's accession cohort was $9.3 million. Screening with the HCV antibody test followed by the nucleic acid test for confirmation yielded a net annual savings and a $3.1 million dollar advantage over not screening. CONCLUSIONS: Applicant screening will reduce chronic HCV infection in the force, result in a small system costs savings, and decrease the threat of transfusion-transmitted HCV infection in the battlefield blood supply and may lead to earlier diagnosis and linkage to care; initiation of an applicant screening program will require ongoing evaluation that considers changes in the treatment cost and practice landscape, screening options, and the epidemiology of HCV in the applicant/accession and overall force populations.

Longitudinal Vision-Related Quality of Life for Patients with Noninfectious Uveitis Treated with Fluocinolone Acetonide Implant or Systemic Corticosteroid Therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate longitudinal vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in patients with noninfectious uveitis. DESIGN: Cohort study using randomized controlled trial data. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with active or recently active intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis, or panuveitis enrolled in the Multicenter Steroid Treatment Trial and Follow-up Study. METHODS: Data from the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) for the first 3 years after randomization were evaluated semiannually. Analyses were stratified by assigned treatment (129 implants vs. 126 systemic therapies) because of substantial differences in the trajectories of VRQoL. The impact of baseline measurements of visual function (visual acuity and visual field), demographics, and disease characteristics was assessed using generalized estimating equations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was the NEI-VFQ-25 composite score over 3 years after randomization. RESULTS: Individuals in both treatment groups showed similar improvement in NEI-VFQ-25 scores after 3 years of follow-up (implant: 11.9 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.6-15.2; P < 0.001; systemic: 9.0 points; 95% CI, 5.6-12.3; P < 0.001; P = 0.21 for interaction). Individuals in the implant group showed a substantial improvement during the first 6 months followed by stable scores, whereas individuals in the systemic group showed a steady improvement over the course of follow-up. Worse initial visual acuity and visual fields were associated with lower initial NEI-VFQ-25 scores for both treatment groups. In the systemic group, these differences were maintained throughout follow-up. In the implant group, individuals with initial visual acuity worse than 20/40 showed additional improvement in NEI-VFQ-25 score to come within -7 points (95% CI, -15.0 to 0.9) of those with visual acuity 20/40 or better initially, a clinically meaningful but not statistically significant difference (P = 0.081). Results based on sensitivity analyses showed similar patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Both treatment groups demonstrated significant improvements in NEI-VFQ-25 scores; however, the improvement was immediate for the implant group as opposed to gradual for the systemic group. Poorer visual function was associated significantly with initial differences in NEI-VFQ-25 scores. However, only individuals in the implant group with poor visual acuity were able to overcome their initial deficits by the end of 3 years.

Preventing diabetes in obese Latino youth with prediabetes: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Obese Latino adolescents are disproportionately impacted by insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is an intermediate stage in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and represents a critical opportunity for intervention. However, to date, no diabetes prevention studies have been conducted in obese Latino youth with prediabetes, a highly vulnerable and underserved group. Therefore, we propose a randomized-controlled trial to test the short-term (6-month) and long-term (12-month) efficacy of a culturally-grounded, lifestyle intervention, as compared to usual care, for improving glucose tolerance and reducing diabetes risk in 120 obese Latino adolescents with prediabetes. METHODS: Participants will be randomized to a lifestyle intervention or usual care group. Participants in the intervention group will attend weekly nutrition and wellness sessions and physical activity sessions twice a week for six months, followed by three months of booster sessions. The overall approach of the intervention is framed within a multilevel Ecodevelopmental model that leverages community, family, peer, and individual factors during the critical transition period of adolescence. The intervention is also guided by Social Cognitive Theory and employs key behavioral modification strategies to enhance self-efficacy and foster social support for making and sustaining healthy behavior changes. We will test intervention effects on quality of life, explore the potential mediating effects of changes in body composition, total, regional, and organ fat on improving glucose tolerance and increasing insulin sensitivity, and estimate the initial incremental cost effectiveness of the intervention as compared with usual care for improving glucose tolerance. DISCUSSION: The proposed trial builds upon extant collaborations of a transdisciplinary team of investigators working in concert with local community agencies to address critical gaps in how diabetes prevention interventions for obese Latino youth are developed, implemented and evaluated. This innovative approach is an essential step in the development of scalable, cost-effective, solution oriented programs to prevent type 2 diabetes in this and other populations of high-risk youth. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02615353, registered on June 8, 2016.

Cost-Savings Analysis of AR-V7 Testing in Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Eligible for Treatment With Abiraterone or Enzalutamide.

INTRODUCTION: Identification of cancer biomarkers that inform clinical decisions and reduce the use of ineffective therapies is a major goal of precision oncology. An abnormal splice variant of the androgen receptor, AR-V7, was recently found to confer resistance to novel hormonal therapies (abiraterone and enzalutamide) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), but did not negatively affect responses to taxane chemotherapies, suggesting that early use of chemotherapy may be a more effective option for AR-V7(+) patients. METHODS: We calculated the cost savings of performing AR-V7 testing in mCRPC patients prior to starting abiraterone/enzalutamide (and avoiding these drugs in AR-V7(+) men) versus treating all mCRPC patients empirically with abiraterone/enzalutamide (without use of the biomarker). RESULTS: We determined that AR-V7 testing would result in substantial cost savings as long as the true prevalence of AR-V7 was >5%. In our prior studies, we estimated that approximately 30% of mCRPC patients may have detectable AR-V7 in circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In this population, upfront testing of AR-V7 status (at a price of $1,000 per test) would result in a net cost savings of $150 Million in the United States per year. CONCLUSIONS: AR-V7 testing in mCRPC patients would be cost-beneficial when considering the current price of treatment, and may reduce the ineffective use of abiraterone/enzalutamide, leading to a significant net cost savings to the healthcare system. Clinical-grade AR-V7 testing is currently available at our institution. Prostate 76:1484-1490, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A behavioral weight-loss intervention in persons with serious mental illness.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are epidemic among persons with serious mental illness, yet weight-loss trials systematically exclude this vulnerable population. Lifestyle interventions require adaptation in this group because psychiatric symptoms and cognitive impairment are highly prevalent. Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of an 18-month tailored behavioral weight-loss intervention in adults with serious mental illness. METHODS: We recruited overweight or obese adults from 10 community psychiatric rehabilitation outpatient programs and randomly assigned them to an intervention or a control group. Participants in the intervention group received tailored group and individual weight-management sessions and group exercise sessions. Weight change was assessed at 6, 12, and 18 months. RESULTS: Of 291 participants who underwent randomization, 58.1% had schizophrenia or a schizoaffective disorder, 22.0% had bipolar disorder, and 12.0% had major depression. At baseline, the mean body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) was 36.3, and the mean weight was 102.7 kg (225.9 lb). Data on weight at 18 months were obtained from 279 participants. Weight loss in the intervention group increased progressively over the 18-month study period and differed significantly from the control group at each follow-up visit. At 18 months, the mean between-group difference in weight (change in intervention group minus change in control group) was -3.2 kg (-7.0 lb, P=0.002); 37.8% of the participants in the intervention group lost 5% or more of their initial weight, as compared with 22.7% of those in the control group (P=0.009). There were no significant between-group differences in adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: A behavioral weight-loss intervention significantly reduced weight over a period of 18 months in overweight and obese adults with serious mental illness. Given the epidemic of obesity and weight-related disease among persons with serious mental illness, our findings support implementation of targeted behavioral weight-loss interventions in this high-risk population. (Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health; ACHIEVE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00902694.).

The Global Burden of Potential Productivity Loss from Uncorrected Presbyopia.

PURPOSE: The onset of presbyopia in middle adulthood results in potential losses in productivity among otherwise healthy adults if uncorrected or undercorrected. The economic burden could be significant in lower-income countries, where up to 94% of cases may be uncorrected or undercorrected. This study estimates the global burden of potential productivity lost because of uncorrected functional presbyopia. DESIGN: Population data from the US Census Bureau were combined with the estimated presbyopia prevalence, age of onset, employment rate, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in current US dollars, and near vision impairment disability weights from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study to estimate the global loss of productivity from uncorrected and undercorrected presbyopia in each country in 2011. To allow comparison with earlier work, we also calculated the loss with the conservative assumption that the contribution to productivity extends only up to 50 years of age. PARTICIPANTS: The economic modeling did not require the use of subjects. METHODS: We estimated the number of cases of uncorrected or undercorrected presbyopia in each country among the working-age population. The number of working-age cases was multiplied by the labor force participation rate, the employment rate, a disability weight, and the GDP per capita to estimate the potential loss of GDP due to presbyopia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome being measured is the lost productivity in 2011 US dollars resulting from uncorrected or undercorrected presbyopia. RESULTS: There were an estimated 1.272 billion cases of presbyopia worldwide in 2011. A total of 244 million cases, uncorrected or undercorrected among people aged <50 years, were associated with a potential productivity loss of US $11.023 billion (0.016% of global GDP). If all those people aged <65 years are assumed to be productive, the potential productivity loss would be US $25.367 billion or 0.037% of global GDP. Correcting presbyopia to the level achieved in Europe would reduce the burden to US $1.390 billion (0.002% of global GDP). CONCLUSIONS: Even with conservative assumptions regarding the productive population, presbyopia is a significant burden on productivity, and correction would have a significant impact on productivity in lower-income countries.

Financial implications of RHD genotyping of pregnant women with a serologic weak D phenotype.

BACKGROUND: Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, classically caused by maternal-fetal incompatibility of the Rh blood group D antigen, can be prevented by RhIG prophylaxis. While prophylactic practices for pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes vary widely, RHD genotyping could provide clear guidance for management. This analysis evaluated the financial implications of using RHD genotyping to guide RhIG prophylaxis among pregnant females. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based model was constructed to evaluate the costs of RHD genotyping for pregnant females with serologic weak D phenotypes to inform RhIG prophylaxis. Using a comparison strategy of managing these women conservatively as D-, direct medical costs were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods for a simulated population of US women. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of conclusions. RESULTS: Using base-case variables, RHD genotyping for pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes is expected to marginally reduce overall costs. RHD genotyping these patients, rather than conservatively managing them as D-, would be cost-saving when the cost of genotyping is below $256. Genotyping would decrease net costs among non-Hispanic Caucasian females (-$0.17/pregnancy), but would increase costs among non-Hispanic African Americans (+$0.51/pregnancy), non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskans (+$0.10/pregnancy), and Hispanics (+$0.37/pregnancy). Incorporating RHD genotyping would not significantly impact costs among Asians and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders. CONCLUSIONS: Using RHD genotyping to guide RhIG prophylaxis among pregnant women with serologic weak D phenotypes may be clinically beneficial without increasing overall costs.

B'More Healthy: Retail Rewards--design of a multi-level communications and pricing intervention to improve the food environment in Baltimore City.

BACKGROUND: Low-income black residents of Baltimore City have disproportionately higher rates of obesity and chronic disease than other Maryland residents. Increasing the availability and affordability of healthy food are key strategies to improve the food environment and can lead to healthier diets. This paper describes B'More Healthy: Retail Rewards (BHRR), an intervention that tests the effectiveness of performance-based pricing discounts and health communications, separately and combined, on healthy food purchasing and consumption among low-income small store customers. METHODS/DESIGN: BHRR is 2x2 factorial design randomized controlled trial. Fifteen regular customers recruited from each of 24 participating corner stores in Baltimore City were enrolled. Food stores were randomized to 1) pricing intervention, 2) communications intervention, 3) combined intervention, or 4) control. Pricing stores were given a 10-30% price discount on selected healthier food items, such as fresh fruits, frozen vegetables, and baked chips, at the point of purchase from two food wholesale stores during the 6-month trial. Storeowners agreed to pass on the discount to the consumer to increase demand for healthy food. Communications stores received visual and interactive materials to promote healthy items, including signage, taste tests, and refrigerators. Primary outcome measures include consumer food purchasing and associated psychosocial variables. Secondary outcome measures include consumer food consumption, store sales, and associated storeowner psychosocial factors. Process evaluation was monitored throughout the trial at wholesaler, small store, and consumer levels. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to test the impact of performance-based pricing and communications incentives in small food stores, an innovative strategy to encourage local wholesalers and storeowners to share responsibility in creating a healthier food supply by stocking, promoting, and reducing costs of healthier foods in their stores. Local food wholesalers were involved in a top-down, participatory approach to develop and implement an effective and sustainable program. This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of price incentives and health communications, separately and combined, among a low-income urban U.S. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02279849 (2/18/2014).

Cost-effectiveness of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for prevention of contralateral breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: A growing number of women with sporadic unilateral, early-stage breast cancers are undergoing ipsilateral therapeutic mastectomy with contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) to prevent the development of new cancers in the contralateral breast. METHODS: A decision-tree using TreeAge Pro 2012 software was used to model the costs and effects of CPM versus unilateral mastectomy (UM) in women younger than 50 years of age with sporadic unilateral, early stage breast cancers. Cost estimates were obtained from the Medicare Fee Schedule and the Healthcare Utilization Project. Probability estimates were obtained from the literature. Outcome effects were measured by incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. A 10-year risk period for contralateral breast cancer (CBC), a lifetime time horizon, and a societal perspective were used. RESULTS: Treatment with CPM results in 0.2 QALYs less than UM and $279 less in costs during a 10-year risk period and lifetime follow-up. The resulting incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) is a savings of $1397 per QALY lost. The ICER is sensitive to the rate and method of postmastectomy reconstruction and the cost of radiologic surveillance after UM. CONCLUSIONS: CPM is cost-saving for the prevention of CBC in women younger than 50 years of age with sporadic, unilateral, early-stage breast cancers, but also reduces resulting health. The savings for health lost are insufficient to be considered cost-effective at this time.

Cost-effectiveness of fluocinolone acetonide implant versus systemic therapy for noninfectious intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 3-year incremental cost-effectiveness of fluocinolone acetonide implant versus systemic therapy for the treatment of noninfectious intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with active or recently active intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis enrolled in the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment Trial. METHODS: Data on cost and health utility during 3 years after randomization were evaluated at 6-month intervals. Analyses were stratified by disease laterality at randomization (31 unilateral vs 224 bilateral) because of the large upfront cost of the implant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) over 3 years: the ratio of the difference in cost (in United States dollars) to the difference in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Costs of medications, surgeries, hospitalizations, and regular procedures (e.g., laboratory monitoring for systemic therapy) were included. We computed QALYs as a weighted average of EQ-5D scores over 3 years of follow-up. RESULTS: The ICER at 3 years was $297,800/QALY for bilateral disease, driven by the high cost of implant therapy (difference implant - systemic [Δ]: $16,900; P < 0.001) and the modest gains in QALYs (Δ = 0.057; P = 0.22). The probability of the ICER being cost-effective at thresholds of $50,000/QALY and $100,000/QALY was 0.003 and 0.04, respectively. The ICER for unilateral disease was more favorable, namely, $41,200/QALY at 3 years, because of a smaller difference in cost between the 2 therapies (Δ = $5300; P = 0.44) and a larger benefit in QALYs with the implant (Δ = 0.130; P = 0.12). The probability of the ICER being cost-effective at thresholds of $50,000/QALY and $100,000/QALY was 0.53 and 0.74, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fluocinolone acetonide implant therapy was reasonably cost-effective compared with systemic therapy for individuals with unilateral intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis but not for those with bilateral disease. These results do not apply to the use of implant therapy when systemic therapy has failed or is contraindicated. Should the duration of implant effect prove to be substantially >3 years or should large changes in therapy pricing occur, the cost-effectiveness of implant versus systemic therapy would need to be reevaluated.

Economic evaluation of a hypothetical screening assay for alloimmunization risk among transfused patients with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Prophylactic antigen-matching can reduce alloimmunization rates among chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), but this matching increases costs and may only benefit 30% of patients. We assessed the clinical and financial value of a potential assay for alloimmunization risk that would allow for targeted antigen-matching. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based model evaluated direct medical costs and alloimmunization events over 10 to 20 years among transfused (simple or exchange) patients with SCD. Four matching strategies were evaluated: prospective matching (for all patients), history-based matching (only for patients with prior alloimmunization), perfectly informed matching (assay with 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity), and imperfectly informed matching (reduced accuracy). Under all matching protocols, matching included C, E, K, and any additional alloantibodies present. A hospital perspective was adopted, with costs (2012US$) and events discounted (3%). RESULTS: Perfectly informed antigen-matching using a $1000 assay is expected to save $82,334 per patient over 10 years, compared to prospective matching. Perfectly informed antigen-matching is more costly than history-based matching, but reduces alloimmunization events by 45.6% over 10 years. Averting each alloimmunization event using this strategy would cost an additional $10,934 per patient. Imperfectly informed antigen-matching using an assay with 75% specificity and 75% sensitivity is less costly than prospective matching, but increases alloimmunization events. Compared to history-based matching, imperfectly informed matching would decrease alloimmunization events by 32.61%, at an additional cost of $147,915 per patient over 10 years. Cost-effectiveness of informed antigen-matching is largely driven by assay specificity. CONCLUSIONS: A sufficiently specific assay to inform antigen-matching may be cost-effective in reducing alloimmunization among transfused patients with SCD.

Cost-effectiveness of prospective red blood cell antigen matching to prevent alloimmunization among sickle cell patients.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease is associated with extensive health care utilization; estimated lifetime costs exceed $460,000 per patient. Approximately 30% of chronically transfused sickle cell patients become alloimmunized to red blood cell antigens, but these patients cannot be identified a priori. Prospective antigen matching can prevent alloimmunization, but is costly and may not benefit most patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov-based model was constructed to compare the health and financial implications of four alternative antigen-matching strategies for chronically transfused sickle cell patients. The strategies varied by the group of patients receiving matched blood (all patients prophylactically or only patients with a history of alloimmunization [history-based]), and by the extent of antigen matching (limited to C, E, and K, or extended to 11 antigens). Direct medical costs and alloimmunization events were assessed over 10- and 20-year periods, for a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients and for a dynamic population. RESULTS: Within a hypothetical cohort of initially transfusion-naive patients, implementing prophylactic limited matching for all chronically transfused patients instead of history-based limited matching is expected to cost an additional $765.56 million over 10 years, but result in 2072 fewer alloimmunization events. Within the same cohort, implementing prospective extensive matching is expected to cost $1.86 billion more than history-based extensive matching, but result in 2424 fewer alloimmunization events. Averting a single alloimmunization event using prospective matching would cost $369,482 to $769,284. Among a dynamic population over 10 years, prospective limited matching is expected to cost $358.34 million more than history-based limited matching. CONCLUSIONS: While prospective matching for all transfused patients would reduce alloimmunization, this strategy requires considerable expenditure.

Evaluating direct medical expenditures estimation methods of adults using the medical expenditure panel survey: an example focusing on head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To inform policymakers of the importance of evaluating various methods for estimating the direct medical expenditures for a low-incidence condition, head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS: Four methods of estimation have been identified: 1) summing all health care expenditures, 2) estimating disease-specific expenditures consistent with an attribution approach, 3) estimating disease-specific expenditures by matching, and 4) estimating disease-specific expenditures by using a regression-based approach. A literature review of studies (2005-2012) that used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) was undertaken to establish the most popular expenditure estimation methods. These methods were then applied to a sample of 120 respondents with HNC, derived from pooled data (2003-2008). RESULTS: The literature review shows that varying expenditure estimation methods have been used with MEPS but no study compared and contrasted all four methods. Our estimates are reflective of the national treated prevalence of HNC. The upper-bound estimate of annual direct medical expenditures of adult respondents with HNC between 2003 and 2008 was $3.18 billion (in 2008 dollars). Comparable estimates arising from methods focusing on disease-specific and incremental expenditures were all lower in magnitude. Attribution yielded annual expenditures of $1.41 billion, matching method of $1.56 billion, and regression method of $1.09 billion. CONCLUSIONS: This research demonstrates that variation exists across and within expenditure estimation methods applied to MEPS data. Despite concerns regarding aspects of reliability and consistency, reporting a combination of the four methods offers a degree of transparency and validity to estimating the likely range of annual direct medical expenditures of a condition.

Improving preventive care in high risk children with asthma: lessons learned.

OBJECTIVES: Rates of preventive asthma care after an asthma emergency department (ED) visit are low among inner-city children. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of a clinician and caregiver feedback intervention (INT) on improving preventive asthma care following an asthma ED visit compared to an attention control group (CON). METHODS: Children with persistent asthma and recent asthma ED visits (N = 300) were enrolled and randomized into a feedback intervention or an attention control group and followed for 12 months. All children received nurse visits. Data were obtained from interviews, child salivary cotinine levels and pharmacy records. Standard t-test, chi-square and multiple logistic regression tests were used to test for differences between the groups for reporting greater than or equal to two primary care provider (PCP) preventive care visits for asthma over 12 months. RESULTS: Children were primarily male, young (3-5 years), African American and Medicaid insured. Mean ED visits over 12 months was high (2.29 visits). No difference by group was noted for attending two or more PCP visits/12 months or having an asthma action plan (AAP). Children having an AAP at baseline were almost twice as likely to attend two or more PCP visits over 12 months while controlling for asthma control, group status, child age and number of asthma ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: A clinician and caregiver feedback intervention was unsuccessful in increasing asthma preventive care compared to an attention control group. Further research is needed to develop interventions to effectively prevent morbidity in high risk inner-city children with frequent ED utilization.