Barriers and Facilitators of Using R for Decision Analytic Modeling in Health Technology Assessment: Focus Group Results.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Decision models for health technology assessment (HTA) are largely submitted to HTA agencies using commercial software, which has known limitations. The use of the open-source programming language R has been suggested because of its efficiency, transparency, reproducibility, and ability to consider complex analyses. However, its use in HTA remains limited. This qualitative study aimed to explore the main reasons for this slow uptake of R in HTA and identify tangible facilitators. METHODS: We undertook two semi-structured focus group discussions with 24 key stakeholders from government agencies, consultancy, pharmaceutical companies, and academia. Two 1.5-hour discussions reflected on barriers identified in a previous study and highlighted additional barriers. Discussions were recorded and semi-transcribed, and data were organized and summarized into key themes. RESULTS: Human resources constraints were identified as a key barrier, including a lack of training, prioritization and collaboration, and resistance to change. Another key barrier was the lack of acceptance, or clear guidance, around submissions in R by HTA agencies. Participants also highlighted a lack of communication around accepted packages and decision model structures, and between HTA agencies on standard decision modeling structures. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for standardization, which can facilitate decision model sharing, coding homogeneity, and improved country adaptations. The creation of training materials and tailored workshops was identified as a key short-term facilitator. Increased communication and engagement of stakeholders could also facilitate the use of R by identifying needs and opportunities, encouraging HTA agencies to address structural barriers, and increasing incentives to use R.

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.

Cancer incidence among Armenians in California.

INTRODUCTION: California is home to the largest population of Armenians in the United States. The historical categorization of Armenians as 'White' or 'Some Other Race' in population databases has likely masked cancer incidence patterns in this population. This is the first study considering cancer incidence among Armenians in California. METHODS: We used the Armenian Surname List and birthplace information in the California Cancer Registry to identify Armenians with cancer diagnosed during 1988-2019. We calculated proportional incidence ratios (PIR) among Armenians compared with non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). As an exploratory analysis, we calculated incidence rate ratios (IRR) during 2006-2015 using Armenian population denominators from the American Community Survey (ACS). We selected PIR as our primary method given uncertainty regarding the use of ACS population estimates for rate calculations. RESULTS: There were 27,212 cancer diagnoses among Armenians in California, 13,754 among males and 13,458 among females. Armenian males had notably higher proportions of stomach (PIR = 2.39), thyroid (PIR = 1.45), and tobacco-related cancers including bladder (PIR = 1.53), colorectal (PIR = 1.29), and lung (PIR = 1.16) cancers. Higher proportional incidence of cancers including stomach (PIR = 3.24), thyroid (PIR = 1.47), and colorectal (PIR = 1.29) were observed among Armenian females. Exploratory IRR analyses showed higher stomach (IRR = 1.78), bladder (IRR = 1.13), and colorectal (IRR = 1.12) cancers among Armenian males and higher stomach (IRR = 2.54) cancer among Armenian females. CONCLUSION: We observed higher stomach, colorectal and thyroid cancer incidence among males and females, and tobacco-related cancers among males. Further research is needed to refine Armenian population estimates and understand and address risk factors associated with specific cancers among Armenians in California.

A Tutorial on Net Benefit Regression for Real-World Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Using Censored Data from Randomized or Observational Studies.

HIGHLIGHTS: We illustrate the steps involved in carrying out cost-effectiveness analysis using net benefit regressions with possibly censored demo data by providing step-by-step guidance and code applied to a data set.We demonstrate the importance of these new methods by illustrating how naïve methods for handling censoring can lead to biased cost-effectiveness results.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Community-Based Telewellness Weight Loss Program.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of the Koa Family Program, a community-based telewellness weight reduction intervention for overweight and obese women aged 21-45 years with low income. The Koa Family Program resulted in an approximately 8-pound weight loss as demonstrated in an RCT published previously. Methods: Estimates for the cost-effectiveness were derived from the prospective 25-week RCT including 70 women (25 kg/m2≤BMI<40 kg/m2). The analysis was from a program-funder perspective. Base case costs, as well as low and high scenario costs, were estimated from the services provided to intervention participants. The incremental costs were compared with the incremental effectiveness, with weight loss being the outcome of interest. Costs were in 2021 U.S. dollars. Cost-effectiveness was assessed using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and the incremental net benefit. The statistical uncertainty was characterized using an incremental net benefit by willingness-to-pay plot and a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. Results: The base case average cost per participant was $564.39. The low and high scenario average costs per participant were $407.34 and $726.22, respectively. Over the 25-week study timeframe, participants lost an average 7.7 pounds, yielding a base case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of approximately $73 per extra pound lost. The probability that the Koa Family Program is cost-effective is 90%, assuming a willingness-to-pay of $115 for a 1-pound reduction, and is 95%, assuming a willingness-to-pay of $140. Conclusions: The Koa Family Program provides good value with cost-effectiveness in line with other weight-loss interventions. This is a striking finding given that the Koa Family Program serves a more vulnerable population than is typically engaged in weight loss research studies.

Estimating the Cost-Effectiveness of HIV Self-Testing in the United States Using Net Benefit Regression.

BACKGROUND: Cost-effectiveness analysis of HIV self-testing using patient-level data from a randomized clinical trial can inform HIV prevention funding decisions. Cost-effectiveness analysis using net-benefit regression addresses the sampling uncertainty in the trial data and the variability of policymakers' willingness to pay (WTP). METHODS: We used published data from a 12-month longitudinal randomized clinical trial that enrolled 2665 men who had sex with men randomly assigned to the self-testing arm (participants receiving self-test kits) and control arm (participants receiving standard-of-care), and the self-testing arm identified 48 additional new HIV cases. We used net-benefit regression to investigate the cost-effectiveness of an HIV self-testing intervention, which compared the incremental cost per new HIV diagnosis with policymakers' WTP thresholds. We addressed the uncertainties in estimating the incremental cost and the policymakers' WTP per new diagnosis through the incremental net-benefit (INB) regression and cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC) analyses. RESULTS: From the health care provider's perspective, the INB analysis showed a positive net benefit of HIV self-testing compared with standard-of-care when policymakers' WTP per new HIV diagnosis was $9365 (95% confidence interval: $5700 to $25,500) or higher. The CEAC showed that the probability of HIV self-testing being cost-effective compared with standard-of-care was 58% and >99% at a WTP of $10 000 and $50 000 per new HIV diagnosis, respectively. CONCLUSION: The INB and CEAC analyses suggest that HIV self-testing has the potential to be cost-effective for relatively low values of policymakers' WTP.

Potential Avoidable Costs of Low-Value Clinical Practices in Acute Injury Care in an Integrated Canadian Provincial Trauma System.

This economic evaluation estimated the direct health care costs associated with 11 low-value clinical practices in acute trauma care in the integrated health care system of Quebec, Canada.

Cancer survivors with sub-optimal patient-centered communication before and during the early COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Patient-Centered Communication (PCC) is an essential element of patient-centered cancer care. Thus, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with optimal PCC among cancer survivors during COVID-19, which has been less studied. METHODS: We used national survey (Health Information National Trends Survey) among cancer survivors (n = 2579) to calculate the prevalence (%) of optimal PCC in all 6 PCC domains and overall (mean) by time (before COVID-19, 2017-19 vs. COVID-19, 2020). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to explore the associations of sociodemographic (age, birth gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, usual source of care), and health status (general health, depression/anxiety symptoms, time since diagnosis, cancer type) factors with optimal PCC. RESULTS: The prevalence of optimal PCC decreased during COVID-19 overall, with the greatest decrease in managing uncertainty (7.3%). Those with no usual source of care (odd ratios, ORs =1.53-2.29), poor general health (ORs=1.40-1.66), depression/anxiety symptoms (ORs=1.73-2.17) were less likely to have optimal PCC in most domains and overall PCC. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the decreased prevalence of optimal PCC, and identified those with suboptimal PCC during COVID-19. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: More efforts to raise awareness and improve PCC are suggested, including education and guidelines, given the decreased prevalence during this public health emergency.

Medicare Beneficiaries' Perspectives on the Quality of Hospital Care and Their Implications for Value-Based Payment.

Importance: Medicare's Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program adjusts hospital payments according to performance on 4 equally weighted quality domains: clinical outcomes, safety, patient experience, and efficiency. The assumption that performance on each domain is equally important may not reflect the preferences of Medicare beneficiaries. Objective: To estimate the relative importance (ie, weight) of the 4 quality domains in the HVBP program from the perspective of Medicare beneficiaries and the impact of using beneficiary value weights on incentive payments for hospitals enrolled in fiscal year 2019. Design, Setting, and Participants: An online survey was conducted in March 2022. A nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries was recruited through Ipsos KnowledgePanel. Value weights were estimated using a discrete choice experiment that asked respondents to choose between 2 hospitals and indicate which they preferred. Hospitals were described using 6 attributes, including (1) clinical outcomes, (2) patient experience, (3) safety, (4) Medicare spending per patient, (5) distance, and (6) out-of-pocket cost. Data analysis was performed from April to November 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: An effects-coded mixed logit regression model was used to estimate the relative importance of quality domains. HVBP program performance was linked to Medicare payment data in the Medicare Inpatient Hospitals by Provider and Service data set and hospital characteristics from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey data set, and the estimated impact of using beneficiary value weights on hospital payments was estimated. Results: A total of 1025 Medicare beneficiaries (518 women [51%]; 879 individuals [86%] aged ≥65 years; 717 White individuals [70%]) responded to the survey. A hospital's performance on clinical outcomes was most highly valued by beneficiaries (49%), followed by safety (22%), patient experience (21%), and efficiency (8%). Nearly twice as many hospitals would see a payment reduction when using beneficiary value weights than would see an increase (1830 vs 922 hospitals); however, the average net decrease was smaller (mean [SD], -$46 978 [$71 211]; median [IQR], -$24 628 [-$53 507 to -$9562]) than the comparable increase (mean [SD], $93 243 [$190 654]; median [IQR], $35 358 [$9906 to $97 348]). Hospitals seeing a net reduction with beneficiary value weights were more likely to be smaller, lower volume, nonteaching, and non-safety-net hospitals located in more deprived areas that served less complex patients. Conclusions and Relevance: This survey study of Medicare beneficiaries found that current HVBP program value weights do not reflect beneficiary preferences, suggesting that the use of beneficiary value weights may exacerbate disparities by rewarding larger, high-volume hospitals.

Real-World Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: How Much Uncertainty Is in the Results?

Cost-effectiveness analyses of new cancer treatments in real-world settings (e.g., post-clinical trials) inform healthcare decision makers about their healthcare investments for patient populations. The results of these analyses are often, though not always, presented with statistical uncertainty. This paper identifies five ways to characterize statistical uncertainty: (1) a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER); (2) a 95% CI for the incremental net benefit (INB); (3) an INB by willingness-to-pay (WTP) plot; (4) a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC); and (5) a cost-effectiveness scatterplot. It also explores their usage in 22 articles previously identified by a rapid review of real-world cost effectiveness of novel cancer treatments. Seventy-seven percent of these articles presented uncertainty results. The majority those papers (59%) used administrative data to inform their analyses while the remaining were conducted using models. Cost-effectiveness scatterplots were the most commonly used method (34.3%), with 40% indicating high levels of statistical uncertainty, suggesting the possibility of a qualitatively different result from the estimate given. Understanding the necessity for and the meaning of uncertainty in real-world cost-effectiveness analysis will strengthen knowledge translation efforts to improve patient outcomes in an efficient manner.

Factors Associated With Online Patient-Provider Communications Among Cancer Survivors in the United States During COVID-19: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Online patient-provider communication (OPPC) is crucial in enhancing access to health information, self-care, and related health outcomes among cancer survivors. The necessity of OPPC increased during SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, yet investigations in vulnerable subgroups have been limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prevalence of OPPC and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with OPPC among cancer survivors and adults without a history of cancer during COVID-19 versus pre-COVID-19. METHODS: Nationally representative cross-sectional survey data (Health Information National Trends Survey 5, 2017-2020) were used among cancer survivors (N=1900) and adults without a history of cancer (N=13,292). COVID-19 data included data from February to June 2020. We calculated the prevalence of 3 types of OPPC, defined as using the email/internet, tablet/smartphone, or electronic health record (EHR) for patient-provider communication, in the past 12 months. To investigate the associations of sociodemographic and clinical factors with OPPC, multivariable-adjusted weighted logistic regression was performed to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: The average prevalence of OPPC increased from pre-COVID to COVID among cancer survivors (39.7% vs 49.7%, email/internet; 32.2% vs 37.9%, tablet/smartphone; 19.0% vs 30.0%, EHR). Cancer survivors (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.63) were slightly more likely to use email/internet communications than adults without a history of cancer prior to COVID-19. Among cancer survivors, the email/internet (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.08-2.40) and EHRs (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.22-3.02) were more likely to be used during COVID-19 than pre-COVID-19. During COVID-19, subgroups of cancer survivors, including Hispanics (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09-0.71 vs non-Hispanic Whites) or those with the lowest income (US $50,000-

Trends in successfully matched neurosurgery residency applicants.

OBJECTIVE: The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 recently transitioned to a pass/fail outcome, renewing interest in how programs select neurosurgical residents. This study investigates the association between match status and key academic metrics over time. METHODS: Data are from the National Resident Matching Program from 2009 to 2022 for matched and unmatched US allopathic (MD) seniors. Investigated metrics included the mean number of contiguous ranks; mean number of distinct specialties ranked; mean USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores; mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications; mean number of research, work, and volunteer experiences; Alpha Omega Alpha status; attendance at a top 40 NIH-funded institution; PhD degree; and other degree. Multiple linear regression without an interaction term was used to evaluate how these have varied between the two groups during the study period and whether there is a difference between unmatched and matched MD seniors applying for a neurosurgical residency. Multiple linear regression with an interaction term was then used to test whether the difference in variables between the two groups changed over time. RESULTS: Regardless of match status, MD senior neurosurgical residency applicants exhibited an increase in USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores; average research experiences; abstracts, presentations, and publications; and work and volunteer experiences (p < 0.001). The percentage of applicants from a top 40 NIH-funded school decreased (p = 0.018), and the percentage who held an additional degree increased (p = 0.007). Between groups, there were significant differences in all categories except work experiences and other degree obtained. Over time, the difference between USMLE Step 2 scores between matched and unmatched seniors diminished (p = 0.027); in contrast, the difference in abstracts, presentations, and publications between the two groups increased over time (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: From 2009 to 2022, neurosurgical residency applicants grew in their achievements across many metrics. In the advent of Step 1 becoming pass/fail, this study suggests that Step 2 is not viewed by programs as an adequate replacement. However, the Step 1 grading transition may serve as an opportunity for other factors to be considered that may better predict success in neurosurgical residency.

Effectiveness of Digital Mental Health Tools to Reduce Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety contribute to an estimated 74.6 million years of life with disability, and 80% of this burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where there is a large gap in care. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to systematically synthesize available evidence and quantify the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions in reducing depression and anxiety in LMICs. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases from the inception date to February 2022. We included randomized controlled trials conducted in LMICs that compared groups that received digital health interventions with controls (active control, treatment as usual, or no intervention) on depression or anxiety symptoms. Two reviewers independently extracted summary data reported in the papers and performed study quality assessments. The outcomes were postintervention measures of depression or anxiety symptoms (Hedges g). We calculated the pooled effect size weighted by inverse variance. RESULTS: Among 11,196 retrieved records, we included 80 studies in the meta-analysis (12,070 participants n=6052, 50.14% in the intervention group and n=6018, 49.85% in the control group) and 96 studies in the systematic review. The pooled effect sizes were -0.61 (95% CI -0.78 to -0.44; n=67 comparisons) for depression and -0.73 (95% CI -0.93 to -0.53; n=65 comparisons) for anxiety, indicating that digital health intervention groups had lower postintervention depression and anxiety symptoms compared with controls. Although heterogeneity was considerable (I2=0.94 for depression and 0.95 for anxiety), we found notable sources of variability between the studies, including intervention content, depression or anxiety symptom severity, control type, and age. Grading of Recommendations, Assessments, Development, and Evaluation showed that the evidence quality was overall high. CONCLUSIONS: Digital mental health tools are moderately to highly effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms in LMICs. Thus, they could be effective options to close the gap in depression and anxiety care in LMICs, where the usual mental health care is minimal. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021289709; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=289709.

Sports-related traumatic brain injuries and acute care costs in children.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and acute care costs due to sports activities. METHODS: A planned secondary analysis of 7799 children from 5 years old to <18 years old with head injuries enrolled in a prospective multicentre study between 2011 and 2014. Sports-related TBIs were identified by the epidemiology codes for activity, place and injury mechanism. The sports cohort was stratified into two age groups (younger: 5-11 and older: 12-17 years). Acute care costs from the publicly funded Australian health system perspective are presented in 2018 pound sterling (£). RESULTS: There were 2903 children (37%) with sports-related TBIs. Mean age was 12.0 years (95% CI 11.9 to 12.1 years); 78% were male. Bicycle riding was associated with the most TBIs (14%), with mean per-patient costs of £802 (95% CI £644 to £960) and 17% of acute costs. The highest acute costs (21%) were from motorcycle-related TBIs (3.8% of injuries), with mean per-patient costs of £3795 (95% CI £1850 to £5739). For younger boys and girls, bicycle riding was associated with the highest TBIs and total costs; however, the mean per-patient costs were highest for motorcycle and horse riding, respectively. For older boys, rugby was associated with the most TBIs. However, motorcycle riding had the highest total and mean per-patient acute costs. For older girls, horse riding was associated with the most TBIs and highest total acute costs, and motorcycle riding was associated with the highest mean per-patient costs. CONCLUSION: Injury prevention strategies should focus on age-related and sex-related sports activities to reduce the burden of TBIs in children. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12614000463673.

Emergency department visit patterns in the recently discharged, violently injured patient: Retrospective cohort review.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of the costs associated with emergency department (ED) visits after discharge for violent injury could highlight subgroups for the development of cost-effective interventions to support healing and prevent treatment failures in violently injured patients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort review was conducted of all patients with return ED visits within 90 days of discharge after treatment for a violent injury occurring between July 1, 2016, and June 30, 2018. Hospital costs were calculated for each incidence and analyzed against demographic and injury type variables to identify trends. RESULTS: 218 return ED visits were identified. Hospital costs showed a high frequency of low-cost visits. For more complex visits, distinct cost patterns were observed for Black and LatinX males compared to White males as a function of age. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of hospital cost per visit identified trends among different subgroups. Underlying etiologies presumably vary between groups, but hypothesis-driven further investigation and needs assessment is required. Understanding the driving forces behind these cost trends may aid in developing effective interventions.

Impact of COVID-19, cancer survivorship and patient-provider communication on mental health in the US Difference-In-Difference.

Poor mental health has been found to be more prevalent among those with cancer and is considered a public health crisis since COVID-19. This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 and cancer survivorship on mental health and investigated factors, including online patient-provider communications (OPPC; email/internet/tablet/smartphone), associated with poor mental health prior to and during the early COVID-19. Nationally representative Health Information National Trends Survey data during 2017-2020 (n = 15,871) was used. While the prevalence of poor mental health was high (40-42%), Difference-In-Difference analyses revealed that cancer survivorship and COVID-19 were not associated with poor mental health. However, individuals that used OPPC had 40% higher odds of poor mental health. Low socioeconomic status (low education/income), younger age (18-64 years), and female birth gender were also associated with poor mental health. Findings highlight the persistence of long-standing mental health inequities and identify that OPPC users might be those who need mental health support.

Measuring the impact of a "Virtual Pediatric Trauma Center" (VPTC) model of care using telemedicine for acutely injured children versus the standard of care: study protocol for a prospective stepped-wedge trial.

BACKGROUND: The current standard of care in the treatment of children with physical trauma presenting to non-designated pediatric trauma centers is consultation with a pediatric trauma center by telephone. This includes contacting a pediatric trauma specialist and transferring any child with a potentially serious injury to a regionalized level I pediatric trauma center. This approach to care frequently results in medically unnecessary transfers and may place undue burdens on families. A newer model of care, the "Virtual Pediatric Trauma Center" (VPTC), uses telemedicine to make the expertise of a level I pediatric trauma center virtually available to any hospital. While the use of the VPTC model of care is increasing, there have been no studies comparing the VPTC to standard care of injured children at non-designated trauma centers with respect to patient- and family-centered outcomes. The goal of this study is to compare the current standard of care to the VPTC with respect to family-centered outcomes developed by parents and community advisory boards. METHODS: We will use a stepped-wedge trial design to enroll children with physical trauma presenting to ten hospitals, including level II, level III, and non-designated trauma centers. The primary outcome measures are parent/family experience of care and distress 3 days following injury. Secondary aims include 30-day healthcare utilization, parent/family out-of-pocket costs at 3 days and 30 days after injury, transfer rates, and parent/family distress 30 days following injury. We expect at least 380 parents/families of children will be eligible for the study following an emergency department physician's request for a level I pediatric trauma center consultation. We will evaluate parent/family experience of care and distress using previously validated instruments, healthcare utilization by family recollection and medical record abstraction, and out-of-pocket costs using standard economic analyses. DISCUSSION: We expect that the findings from this study will inform other level I pediatric trauma centers and non-pediatric trauma centers on how to improve their systems of care for injured children. The results will help to optimize communication, confidence, and shared decision-making between parents/families and clinical staff from both the transferring and receiving hospitals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04469036. Registered July 13, 2020 before start of inclusion.

Lessons from Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Smoking Cessation Programs for Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Smoking among patients diagnosed with cancer poses important health and financial challenges including reduced effectiveness of expensive cancer therapies. This study explores the value of smoking cessation programs (SCPs) for patients already diagnosed with cancer. It also identifies conditions under which SPCs may be wise investments. METHODS: Using a simplified decision analytic model combined with insights from a literature review, we explored the cost-effectiveness of SCPs. RESULTS: The findings provide insights about the potential impact of cessation probabilities among cancer patients in SCPs and the potential impact of SCPs on cancer patients' lives. CONCLUSION: The evidence suggests that there is good reason to believe that SCPs are an economically attractive way to improve outcomes for cancer patients when SCPs are offered in conjunction with standard cancer care.

Rapid Review of Real-World Cost-Effectiveness Analyses of Cancer Interventions in Canada.

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CE Analysis) provides evidence about the incremental gains in patient outcomes costs from new treatments and interventions in cancer care. The utilization of "real-world" data allows these analyses to better reflect differences in costs and effects for actual patient populations with comorbidities and a range of ages as opposed to randomized controlled trials, which use a restricted population. This rapid review was done through PubMed and Google Scholar in July 2022. Relevant articles were summarized and data extracted to summarize changes in costs (in 2022 CAD) and effectiveness in cancer care once funded by the Canadian government payer system. We conducted statistical analyses to examine the differences between means and medians of costs, effects, and incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Twenty-two studies were selected for review. Of those, the majority performed a CE Analysis on cancer drugs. Real-world cancer drug studies had significantly higher costs and effects than non-drug therapies. Studies that utilized a model to project longer time-horizons saw significantly smaller ICER values for the treatments they examined. Further, differences in drug costs increased over time. This review highlights the importance of performing real-world CE Analysis on cancer treatments to better understand their costs and impacts on a general patient population.

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.