Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Utilization of Health Services and Out-Of-Pocket Health Expenditures in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe progressive disease with poor prognosis. Patients show an increased healthcare utilization pattern consisting of regular physician consultations and monitoring tests. The aim of the present study was to estimate healthcare resource utilization and out-of-pocket expenditures for IPF patients in Greece. METHODS: An IPF-specific questionnaire was constructed, which focused on retrospective healthcare resource utilization and out-of-pocket expenditures within a 6-month period. Upon informed consent, the questionnaires were completed anonymously. RESULTS: The study sample included 123 IPF patients. Within a 6-month period, 85.4% of the patients visited their treating physician (mean, 2.35; standard deviation [SD], 1.400), 29.4% visited other physicians for IPF-related reasons (mean, 1.90; SD, 1.595), 42.9% visited a healthcare setting, and 10.6% required hospitalization (mean duration, 2.86 days; SD, 3.338). Spirometry (98.1%) and blood tests (88.5%) were the most common tests for IPF monitoring. Almost half of the respondents (48.6%) stated they had private expenditures for IPF medication, physician visits, hospital services, medical tests, or other IPF-related reasons. CONCLUSIONS: IPF management requires regular contact with healthcare services and uptake of specific medical tests. Considering the high proportion of patients bearing out-of-pocket costs, along with the decline of incomes in Greece, improvement of the disease management is important, and action should be taken to lower the financial burden imposed on patients.

Factors associated with the utilization of mammographic screening in Greece.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in women and the primary cause of death by cancer in women globally. Early diagnosis and treatment can be achieved through screening, mainly mammographic; however, international experience has shown that women do not attend mammographic screening adequately. The aim of the present study was to investigate and assess the factors that affect demand for mammography by women to improve and enhance the use of mammography by women in Greece, especially those in the 50-70 age group. The data used in the analysis were extracted from the National Health Survey of 2009, conducted by the Hellenic Statistical Authority. The sample for the analysis included 2294 women aged 30-70 years. To investigate the factors that affect mammography use, binary logistic regression models were constructed for women in the 30-39, 40-49 and 50-70 age groups. 61.70% of the sample had ever undergone a mammogram, 46.80% of which were during the last 12 months. Factors associated with mammography use in at least one of the binary logistic regression models were pap-test, blood cholesterol test, level of education, income level and country of birth. In the 50-70 age group, income level [odds ratio (OR)=1.164; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.038, 1.305], blood cholesterol test ever (OR=6.096; 95% CI=2.498, 14.872) and pap-test (OR=20.148; 95% CI=11.264, 36.040) were found to be statistically significant predictors of mammography uptake. As mammography utilization in Greece is mostly opportunistic, it is necessary to organize screening provision to cover the majority of the population through nationally organized screening programmes, with a focus on women 50-70 years of age.

Barriers in access to healthcare services for chronic patients in times of austerity: an empirical approach in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the magnitude of barriers in access to health services for chronic patients and the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics that affect them. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1,594 chronic patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, COPD and Alzheimer. Logistic regression analyses were carried out in order to explore the factors related to economic and geographical barriers in access, as well as the determinants of barriers due to waiting lists. RESULTS: A total of 25% of chronic patients face geographical barriers while 63.5% and 58.5% of them are in front of economic and waiting list barriers, respectively. Unemployed, low-income and low-educated are more likely to face economic barriers in access. Moreover, women, low-income patients, and patients with lower health status are more likely to be in front of geographical barriers. In addition, the probability of waiting lists occurrence is greater for unemployed, employees and low income patients. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers in access can be mainly attributed to income decrease and unemployment. In this context, health policy measures are essential for removing barriers in access. Otherwise, inequalities may increase and chronic patients' health status will be deteriorated. These consequences imply adverse effects on health expenditure.

Abolishing coinsurance for oral antihyperglycemic agents: effects on social insurance budgets.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of abolishing coinsurance for oral antihyperglycemic agents (OAAs) on the social insurance fund budget in Greece. STUDY DESIGN: A mathematical model estimating the effect of a decrease in patient coinsurance rate on demand for and adherence to OAAs and the subsequent clinical and economic outcomes. METHODS: Price elasticity of demand for antidiabetic agents was used to estimate quantity demand change as a result of a coinsurance rate decrease and consequent increased adherence to OAAs. Given the inverse relationship between OAA adherence and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) level, the model calculated the mean decrease in A1C level and associated cost savings based on the cost difference between patients with controlled versus uncontrolled A1C levels. RESULTS: A decrease in patient coinsurance rate from 25% to 0% led to an incremental increase in OAA adherence of 30.5% and a mean decrease in A1C level of 0.6%. The A1C level decrease contributed to an 18.5% "shift" of uncontrolled patients to controlled A1C levels (<7%), which in economic terms translated into savings of 324 euro per patient over a 3-year period and an investment return rate of 122.8%. A series of 1-way and 2-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the robustness and validity of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: The introduction of policies aimed at abolishing coinsurance for OAAs can result in improved patient outcomes and cost savings for the healthcare system.