The effects of data sources,cohort selection,and outcome definition on a predictive model of risk of thirty-day hospital readmissions

BackgroundHospital readmission risk prediction remains a motivated area of investigation and operations in light of the hospital readmissions reduction program through CMS. Multiple models of risk have been reported with variable discriminatory performances, and it remains unclear how design factors affect performance.ObjectivesTo study the effects of varying three factors of model development in the prediction of risk based on health record data: (1) reason for readmission (primary readmission diagnosis); (2) available data and data types (e.g. visit history, laboratory results, etc); (3) cohort selection.MethodsRegularized regression (LASSO) to generate predictions of readmissions risk using prevalence sampling. Support Vector Machine (SVM) used for comparison in cohort selection testing. Calibration by model refitting to outcome prevalence.ResultsPredicting readmission risk across multiple reasons for readmission resulted in ROC areas ranging from 0.92 for readmission for congestive heart failure to 0.71 for syncope and 0.68 for all-cause readmission. Visit history and laboratory tests contributed the most predictive value; contributions varied by readmission diagnosis. Cohort definition affected performance for both parametric and nonparametric algorithms. Compared to all patients, limiting the cohort to patients whose index admission and readmission diagnoses matched resulted in a decrease in average ROC from 0.78 to 0.55 (difference in ROC 0.23, p value 0.01). Calibration plots demonstrate good calibration with low mean squared error.ConclusionTargeting reason for readmission in risk prediction impacted discriminatory performance. In general, laboratory data and visit history data contributed the most to prediction; data source contributions varied by reason for readmission. Cohort selection had a large impact on model performance, and these results demonstrate the difficulty of comparing results across different studies of predictive risk modeling.     

A simple nomogram for predicting early complications in patients after primary knee arthroplasty

BackgroundThis study sought to construct a nomogram for patients based on preoperative and intraoperative variables to individually predict the likelihood of complications within 30 days after primary knee arthroplasty.MethodsData were obtained from the medical record of patients who underwent primary knee arthroplasty at our institution from 2015 to 2018. Preoperative and intraoperative factors were collected critically. Predictor variables include 15 common complications occurring within 30 days. The predictive model was developed using multivariable logistic regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Clinical usefulness and calibration of the predicting model were assessed using C-index, calibration plot, receiver operating curve, and decision curve analysis. Internal validation was assessed using the bootstrapping validation.ResultsThe prediction nomogram identified six variables associated with complications, including hemoglobin, tourniquet time, operative time, estimated intraoperative blood loss, American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification (ASA class) and type of anesthesia. The model displayed good discrimination with a C-index of 0.822 (95% confidence interval: 0.760–0.884), an area under the curve of 0.822 and good calibration. High C-index value of 0.810 could still be reached in the interval validation. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram was clinically useful when intervention was decided at the complications possibility threshold in the three percent to 100% range.ConclusionWe constructed and validated a nomogram for predicting the probability of postoperative complications within 30 days after primary knee arthroplasty. Our nomogram may prove to be a useful tool for guiding physicians in terms of their decisions.     

Impact of a Novel Post-Discharge Transitions of Care Clinic on Hospital Readmissions

BackgroundThe Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has targeted hospital readmissions, which cost $17 billion per year, as one potential solution to reduce rising health care costs. Studies have documented the ability of Transitions of care (TOC) services to reduce readmissions in high risk patients. However, the vast majority of studies have not explored TOC services for all-cause admissions nor TOC clinics led by hospitalists. The goal of this study is to provide preliminary data regarding the potential effectiveness of a hospitalist-led TOC clinic servicing all patients on hospital readmission rates.MethodsThis cross-sectional feasibility study analyzed patients on a tertiary hospital teaching service. All discharged patients from January 2016 to September 2018 were given an appointment at the TOC clinic within 14 days of discharge. The control group consisted of patients assigned to the teaching service from January 2018 to November 2018 that were not offered a TOC appointment.ResultsOverall, 1373 patients (n = 1373) were included in this study between January 2016 and September 2018. The control group consisted of 1000 patients who were not offered follow up in the TOC clinic while the TOC group consisted of 373 patients who did attend a follow up appointment in the TOC clinic. The study participants (n = 1373) included patients admitted to the hospital for any diagnosis and were analyzed for all cause readmission rates. The TOC group consisted of 52% African Americans, 52% Medicare patients and 8% Medicaid patients. Demographic information for the control group was not available. The TOC group had a statistically significant 42% decreased risk of being readmitted within 30 days of discharge (RR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.83). These data showed a statistically significant difference between the TOC group and control group in relation to the incidence of 30-day readmissions (p-value = 0.002).ConclusionAmong Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and commercial health insurance patients, this hospitalist-led TOC intervention was associated with a statistically significant reduction in 30-day readmissions following discharge for all-cause hospital admissions.     

Impact of Preemptive Therapy for Cytomegalovirus on Hospitalizations and Cost after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia occurs in 40% to 80% of CMV-seropositive (R+) recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The preemptive therapy (PET) strategy has reduced the risk of CMV end-organ disease (EOD) and associated mortality but may lead to substantial healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs. Real-world data on the economic impact of PET is relevant for the evaluation of alternative strategies for CMV management. We examined the impact of clinically significant CMV treated with PET on inpatient length of stay (LOS), number of readmissions, and associated costs from day 0 through day 180 post-HCT.This was a retrospective study of R+ adults who underwent peripheral blood or marrow allogeneic HCT at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between March 2013 and December 2017. Patients were routinely screened for CMV by qPCR and received PET according to institutional standards of care. Data were extracted from electronic medical records and hospital databases. Itemized cost data per patient were obtained from the Vizient database, adjusted to 2017 dollars using inflation indices. Study outcomes included HCRU evaluated by inpatient LOS and inpatient cost in patients who received PET for clinically significant CMV (PET group) compared with those who did not receive PET (no PET group) and the frequency and cost of CMV-related readmissions compared with non CMV-related readmissions. We used generalized linear models to examine the incremental HCRU and costs associated with PET controlling for other potential factors. Of 357 patients, PET was initiated in 208 (58.3%), at a median of 35 days after HCT. By day 180, 23 patients (6.4%) had developed CMV EOD and 3 (.8%) had died of CMV. Compared with the no PET group, the PET group had a longer LOS for HCT admission (P = .0276), longer total LOS by day 180 (P = .0001), a higher number of readmissions (P = .0001), a higher mean inpatient cost for HCT admission ($189,389 versus $151,646; P = .0133), and a higher total inpatient cost ($297,563 versus $205,815; P < .0001). Among PET recipients, CMV-related readmissions were associated with higher mean cost per episode compared with non CMV-related readmissions ($165,455 versus $89,419; P = .005). CMV-related readmissions comprised 40.6% of total all-cause readmissions and incurred 55.9% of total all-cause readmission costs in PET recipients. Our data show that patients treated with currently available PET had greater inpatient HCRU and cost, by day 180 compared with patients who did not receive PET. The cost of CMV-related readmissions accounted for 56% of total readmission cost among PET recipients. Future studies are needed to examine the cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for CMV management.     

Trio genome sequencing for developmental delay and pediatric heart conditions: A comparative microcost analysis

PurposeGenome sequencing (GS) can aid clinical management of multiple pediatric conditions. Insurers require accurate cost information to inform funding and implementation decisions. The objective was to compare the laboratory workflows and microcosts of trio GS testing in children with developmental delay (DD) and in children with cardiac conditions.MethodsCost items related to each step in trio GS (child and 2 parents) for both populations were identified and measured. Program costs over 5 years were estimated. Probabilistic and deterministic analyses were conducted.ResultsThe mean cost per trio GS was CAD$6634.11 (95% CI = 6352.29-6913.40) for DD and CAD$8053.10 (95% CI = 7699.30-8558.10) for cardiac conditions. The 5-year program cost was CAD$28.11 million (95% CI = 26.91-29.29) for DD and CAD$5.63 million (95% CI = 5.38-5.98) for cardiac conditions. Supplies constituted the largest cost component for both populations. The higher cost per sample for the population with cardiac conditions was due to the inclusion of pharmacogenomics, higher bioinformatics labor costs, and a more labor intensive case review.ConclusionThis analysis indicated important variation in trio GS workflow and costs between pediatric populations in a single institution. Enhanced understanding of the clinical utility and costs of GS can inform harmonization and implementation decision-making.     

Complications associated with staged versus simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty: An analysis of 7747 patients

BackgroundBenefits of simultaneous bilateral total knee replacement (TKR) include lower costs, decreased hospital stay, and shorter rehabilitation. This study evaluated complications associated with simultaneous versus staged bilateral TKR within 12 months. We hypothesized that after controlling for comorbidities, the simultaneous group would have the highest rate of complications.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed the Humana subset of the PearlDiver Patient Records Database. CPT 27447 and associated modifiers were used to identify patients who underwent simultaneous or staged bilateral primary TKRs. Staged bilateral TKRs were performed within 12 months and were stratified by the time between procedures. Primary outcomes were the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' publicly reported complications. Risks of complications were compared using multivariate logistic regression controlling for age, gender, and comorbidities.ResultsSeven thousand seven hundred forty-seven patients underwent simultaneous or staged bilateral TKRs between January 2007 and April 2015. There were lower odds of transfusion and all-cause 90-day readmission but higher odds of mechanical complications and infection for all staged groups compared to the simultaneous. Patients whose staged surgeries were ? 3 months apart had significantly higher odds of undergoing manipulation under anesthesia (MUA).ConclusionsHigher rates of blood transfusion and readmission were associated with simultaneous bilateral TKR, while higher rates of mechanical complications and infection were associated with staged bilateral TKR. MUA risk was highest in patients staged ? 3 months apart. While there are inherent risks to simultaneous bilateral TKR, surgeons and patients should also be aware of risks associated with staging the procedures.Level of evidenceIII     

Predicting critical illness on initial diagnosis of COVID-19 based on easily obtained clinical variables: development and validation of the PRIORITY model

ObjectivesWe aimed to develop and validate a prediction model, based on clinical history and examination findings on initial diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to identify patients at risk of critical outcomes.MethodsWe used data from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a cohort of consecutive patients hospitalized for COVID-19 from 132 centres in Spain (23rd March to 21st May 2020). For the development cohort, tertiary referral hospitals were selected, while the validation cohort included smaller hospitals. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital death, mechanical ventilation, or admission to intensive care unit. Clinical signs and symptoms, demographics, and medical history ascertained at presentation were screened using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and logistic regression was used to construct the predictive model.ResultsThere were 10 433 patients, 7850 in the development cohort (primary outcome 25.1%, 1967/7850) and 2583 in the validation cohort (outcome 27.0%, 698/2583). The PRIORITY model included: age, dependency, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, dyspnoea, tachypnoea, confusion, systolic blood pressure, and SpO₂ ≤93% or oxygen requirement. The model showed high discrimination for critical illness in both the development (C-statistic 0.823; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.813, 0.834) and validation (C-statistic 0.794; 95%CI 0.775, 0.813) cohorts. A freely available web-based calculator was developed based on this model (https://www.evidencio.com/models/show/2344).ConclusionsThe PRIORITY model, based on easily obtained clinical information, had good discrimination and generalizability for identifying COVID-19 patients at risk of critical outcomes.     

Cost-effectiveness of a minimal intervention for stress-related sick leave in general practice: Results of an economic evaluation alongside a pragmatic randomised control trial

BackgroundStress-related mental health problems negatively impact quality of life and productivity. Worldwide, treatment is often sought in primary care. Our objective was to determine whether a general practitioner-based minimal intervention for workers with stress-related sick leave (MISS) was cost-effective compared to usual care (UC).MethodsWe conducted an economic evaluation from a societal perspective. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and resource use were measured by the EuroQol and cost diaries, respectively. Uncertainty was estimated by 95% confidence intervals, cost-effectiveness planes and acceptability curves. Sensitivity analyses and ancillary analyses based on preplanned subgroups were performed.ResultsNo statistically significant differences in costs or QALYs were observed. The mean incremental cost per QALY was ? €7356 and located in the southeast quadrant of the cost-effectiveness plane, whereby the intervention was slightly more effective and less costly. For willingness-to-pay (λ) thresholds from €0 to €100,000, the probability of MISS being cost-effective was 0.58–0.90. For the preplanned subgroup of patients diagnosed with stress-related mental disorders, the incremental ratio was ? €28,278, again in the southeast quadrant. Corresponding probabilities were 0.92 or greater.LimitationsNon-significant findings may be related to poor implementation of the MISS intervention and low power. Also, work-presenteeism and unpaid labor were not measured.ConclusionsThe minimal intervention was not cost-effective compared to usual care for a heterogeneous patient population. Therefore, we do not recommend widespread implementation. However, the intervention may be cost-effective for the subgroup stress-related mental disorders. This finding should be confirmed before implementation for this subgroup is considered.     

Impact of health literacy in patients with cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo clarify the impacts of health literacy on mortality, readmission, and quality of life (QOL) in the secondary or tertiary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) through a meta-analysis.MethodsSix electronic databases were searched on June 11, 2020. Observational studies involving patients with CVD, health literacy as an exposure factor and mortality, readmission, or QOL as outcomes were included in this study. Two researchers screened the retrieved articles and extracted data independently. The meta-analysis calculated the pooled relative risk of mortality and readmission. We also assessed the body of evidence based on Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE).ResultsFollowing screening of 1616 studies, 16 observational studies were included. The mean rate of low health literacy was 32.8%. All studies focusing on QOL showed significant impacts of health literacy. Pooled relative risk was 1.621 (95% confidence interval: 1.089–2.412) for mortality and 1.184 (95% confidence interval: 1.035–1.355) for readmission, indicating significant effects of health literacy. GRADE assessment showed “LOW” certainty for each outcome.ConclusionLow health literacy was significantly associated with increased mortality and hospital readmission and decreased QOL in patients with CVD.Practice implicationsConsidering low health literacy in clinical practice is very important to improve prognosis of CVD patients.     

代谢综合征患者脊柱融合术后的并发症：系统回顾和Meta分析

目的：代谢综合征对一系列外科手术患者的术后结果有负面影响,然而,目前尚不清楚代谢综合征是否与脊柱融合术后的并发症有关。通过系统回顾和Meta分析评估代谢综合征患者脊柱融合术后并发症的相关风险。方法：综合检索知网、万方、维普、PubMed、OVID和Web of Science数据库,选取有关代谢综合征患者脊柱融合术后并发症的相关研究,相关结果指标包括全因并发症、心血管并发症、肺并发症、手术部位感染、败血症、静脉血栓栓塞事件（包括深静脉血栓和肺栓塞）、尿路感染、术后30 d再入院率、术后30 d再手术率、术后30 d死亡率和住院费用。对11种结果进行数据提取、Meta分析或定性研究系统综述。结果：（1）共纳入8项研究,包括1项前瞻性队列研究和7项回顾性队列研究,涉及283 593例患者,纳入的研究文献总体质量较好;（2）Meta分析结果显示,与非代谢综合征组相比,代谢综合征组全因并发症[RR=1.53,95%CI（1.22,1.93）,P=0.000 3]、肺部并发症[RR=1.68,95%CI（1.29,2.17）,P <0.000 1]、心血管并发症[RR=2.05,95%CI...     

Detailed pathologic evaluation on endomyocardial biopsy provides long-term prognostic information in patients with acute myocarditis

BackgroundThe long-term prognosis of biopsy-proven myocarditis is not well known. We hypothesized that a detailed pathological examination of an endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) would reveal prognostic information in patients with acute myocarditis.MethodsFifty-four patients were diagnosed with acute myocarditis based on an EMB. Pathological diagnosis was categorized into lymphocytic dominant (29.6%), eosinophilic dominant (22.2%), and borderline myocarditis (48.1%). Masson’s trichrome staining and further immunohistochemical staining for CD3, CD20, CD68, HLA-DR, TLR4, TLR8, enteroviral VP1, and caspase-3 expression were performed. The clinical outcomes were defined as all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) death.ResultsDuring the median 10.4 years of follow up (9.7±5.7 years), the overall all-cause mortality was 20.4% and the CV mortality was 14.8% in patients with acute myocarditis. Lymphocytic dominant myocarditis patients showed a poor clinical outcome when compared with eosinophilic dominant myocarditis patients for both all-cause (37.5% vs. 0%, p=0.015) and CV (31.2% vs. 0%, p=0.029) mortality. Among borderline myocarditis patients, the presence of fibrosis was linked with poor clinical outcomes in both all-cause (75.0% vs. 21.4%, p=0.045) and CV (100.0% vs. 25.0%, p=0.034) mortality. No significant associations between clinical outcome and all other immunohistochemical staining targets were observed.ConclusionsDetailed pathological evaluation on an EMB provides prognostic information in patients with acute myocarditis. EMB evaluation should be considered in patients with suspected myocarditis.     

Are whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing approaches cost-effective? A systematic review of the literature

PurposeWe conducted a systematic literature review to summarize the current health economic evidence for whole-exome sequencing (WES) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS).MethodsRelevant studies were identified in the EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EconLit and University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases from January 2005 to July 2016. Publications were included in the review if they were economic evaluations, cost studies, or outcome studies.ResultsThirty-six studies met our inclusion criteria. These publications investigated the use of WES and WGS in a variety of genetic conditions in clinical practice, the most common being neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders. Study sample size varied from a single child to 2,000 patients. Cost estimates for a single test ranged from $555 to $5,169 for WES and from $1,906 to $24,810 for WGS. Few cost analyses presented data transparently and many publications did not state which components were included in cost estimates.ConclusionThe current health economic evidence base to support the more widespread use of WES and WGS in clinical practice is very limited. Studies that carefully evaluate the costs, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of these tests are urgently needed to support their translation into clinical practice.     

Long-term Outcomes of Clopidogrel Monotherapy versus Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy beyond 12 Months after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in High-risk Patients

BackgroundThere are no data on comparison between clopidogrel monotherapy and prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients at high-risk undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsOf 2,082 consecutive patients undergoing PCI using second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES), we studied 637 patients at high-risk either angiographically or clinically who received clopidogrel longer than 24 months and were event-free at 12 months after index PCI. Patients were divided into 2 groups: the clopidogrel monotherapy group and the prolonged DAPT group. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), definite or probable stent thrombosis, or stroke between 12 months and 36 months after the index PCI.ResultsIn propensity score-matched population (246 pairs), the cumulative rate of primary outcome was 4.5% in the clopidogrel monotherapy group and 4.9% in the prolonged DAPT group (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.54–2.75; P = 0.643). There was no significant difference in all-cause death, MI, stent thrombosis, stroke between the clopidogrel monotherapy group and the prolonged DAPT group.ConclusionCompared with prolonged DAPT, clopidogrel monotherapy showed similar long-term outcomes in patients at high-risk after second-generation DES implantation.     

Patient education interventions for colorectal cancer patients with stoma: A systematic review

ObjectivesTo describe the various types of patient education interventions for colorectal cancer patients with stoma and to examine their effects on quality of life, psychosocial skills and self-management skills.MethodsA systematic review was performed. Six electronic databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were: studies about patient education applying quantitative methods including digestive stoma adults with colorectal cancer. The primary outcome was quality of life. Secondary outcomes were psychosocial and self-management skills.ResultsThirteen studies were identified and included. Five studies examined quality of life and three reported improvements. Patient education improved some psychosocial and self-management skills. Contrasting findings were reported for specific-disease quality of life, emotional distress, length of hospital stay, stoma complications and readmission rate.ConclusionsPatient education has a positive impact on some psychosocial and self-management skills, indicating that this area should be developed. Contrasting findings were reported for quality of life. Methodologies are heterogeneous making it difficult to produce evidence-based guidelines. This article proposes tools to carry out further studies on this subject and to improve understanding.Practice implicationFurther education intervention for stoma patients with colorectal cancer should be standardized in terms of intervention, duration and outcome measures to compare intervention and determine best practice.     

Multicentre derivation and validation of a simple predictive index for healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection

ObjectivesClostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common cause of healthcare-associated infections in the United States. Despite well-established risk factors, little research has focused on use of these variables to identify a patient population at high risk for CDI to target with primary prevention strategies. A predictive index for healthcare-associated CDI could improve clinical care and guide research for primary prevention trials. Our objective was to develop a predictive index to identify patients at high risk for healthcare-associated CDI.MethodsWe performed a secondary database analysis in a five-hospital health system in Houston, Texas. Our cohort consisted of 97 130 hospitalized patients admitted for more than 48 hours between October 2014 and September 2016. The derivation cohort consisted of the initial 80% of admissions (75 545 patients), with the remainder being used in the validation cohort.ResultsCDI rates in the derivation and validation cohorts were 1.55% and 1.43%, respectively. Thirty-day predictors of CDI were increased number of high-risk antibiotics, Charlson comorbidity index score, age and receipt of a proton pump inhibitor. These variables were incorporated into a simple risk index with a score range of 0 to 10. The final model demonstrated good discrimination and calibration with the observed CDI incidence ranging from 0.1% to 20.4%.ConclusionsWe developed a predictive index for 30-day risk of healthcare-associated CDI using readily available and clinically useful variables. This simple predictive risk index may be used to improve clinical decision making and resource allocation for CDI stewardship initiatives, and guide research design.     

Feasibility of 30-day hospital readmission prediction modeling based on health information exchange data

IntroductionUnplanned 30-day hospital readmission account for roughly $17 billion in annual Medicare spending. Many factors contribute to unplanned hospital readmissions and multiple models have been developed over the years to predict them. Most researchers have used insurance claims or administrative data to train and operationalize their Readmission Risk Prediction Models (RRPMs). Some RRPM developers have also used electronic health records data; however, using health informatics exchange data has been uncommon among such predictive models and can be beneficial in its ability to provide real-time alerts to providers at the point of care.MethodsWe conducted a semi-systematic review of readmission predictive factors published prior to March 2013. Then, we extracted and merged all significant variables listed in those articles for RRPMs. Finally, we matched these variables with common HL7 messages transmitted by a sample of health information exchange organizations (HIO).ResultsThe semi-systematic review resulted in identification of 32 articles and 297 predictive variables. The mapping of these variables with common HL7 segments resulted in an 89.2% total coverage, with the DG1 (diagnosis) segment having the highest coverage of 39.4%. The PID (patient identification) and OBX (observation results) segments cover 13.9% and 9.1% of the variables. Evaluating the same coverage in three sample HIOs showed data incompleteness.DiscussionHIOs can utilize HL7 messages to develop unique RRPMs for their stakeholders; however, data completeness of exchanged messages should meet certain thresholds. If data quality standards are met by stakeholders, HIOs would be able to provide real-time RRPMs that not only predict intra-hospital readmissions but also inter-hospital cases.ConclusionA RRPM derived using HIO data exchanged through may prove to be a useful method to prevent unplanned hospital readmissions. In order for the RRPM derived from HIO data to be effective, hospitals must actively exchange clinical information through the HIO and develop actionable methods that integrate into the workflow of providers to ensure that patients at high-risk for readmission receive the care they need.     

Reduction in self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: an observational controlled study in east London

BackgroundSelf-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) confers no benefit for many people with type 2 diabetes not being treated with insulin. It accounts for 21% of diabetes prescribing costs.AimTo improve care quality at reduced cost for type 2 diabetes by reducing unnecessary SMBG.MethodIn total, 19 602 people with type 2 diabetes not being treated with insulin were recruited from two intervention CCGs; 16 033 were recruited from a control CCG. The intervention (from 2010 to 2013) comprised implementation of a locally developed guideline, including IT support and peer feedback of performance. Data on practice prescribing SMBG testing strips were gathered using GP electronic health records. Information on costs were obtained via the ePACT electronic database.ResultsOver 4 years, in all non-insulin type 2 diabetes treatment groups, use of SMBG was reduced in the two intervention CCGs from 42.8% to 16.5%, and in the control CCG from 56.4% to 47.2%. In people on metformin alone or no treatment, intervention CCGs reduced SMBG use from 29.6% to 6.0%, and in the control CCG use dropped from 47.1% to 38.7% (P<0.001). From 2009 to 2012 the total cost of all SMBG prescribing (type 1 and type 2 diabetes, including users of insulin) was reduced by 4.9% (£62 476) in the two intervention CCGs and increased in the control CCG by 5.0% (£42 607); in England, the total cost increased by 13.5% (£19.4 million). In total, 20% (3865 of 19 602) fewer patients used SMBG in the intervention CCGs.ConclusionThis low-cost programme demonstrated a major reduction in unnecessary prescribing of SMBG, along with cost savings. If replicated nationally, this would avoid unnecessary testing in 340 000 people and prescribing costs that total £21.8 million.     

Implementing smart pump technology in a pediatric intensive care unit: A cost-effective approach

ObjectiveTo analyze the cost effectiveness of implementing smart infusion pump technology in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Material and methodsAn observational, prospective, intervention study with analytical components was carried out. A drug library was developed and integrated into the Carefusion Alaris Guardrails^® infusion systems. A systematic analysis of all the data stored on the devices during use was performed by the data processing program Guardrails^® CQI v4.1 Event Reporter. Intercepted errors were classified in terms of their potential severity and probability of causing an adverse effect (PAE) had they reached the patient. Knowing the estimated cost of a preventable adverse effect (AE), we analyzed costs saved and the profit/cost ratio resulting from the implementation process.ResultsCompliance with the drug library was 92% and during the study period 92 infusion-related programming errors were intercepted, leading to a saving of 172,279 euros by preventing AEs. This means that 2.15 euros would be obtained for each euro invested in hiring a pharmacist to implement this technology.DiscussionThe high percentage of use of safety software in our study compared to others allowed for the interception of 92 errors. The estimation of the potential impact of these errors is based on clinical judgment. The cost saved might be underestimated because the cost of an AE is usually higher in pediatrics, indirect and intangible costs were not considered and pharmacists involved do not spend the whole day on this task.ConclusionsSmart pumps have shown to be profitable in a PICU because they have the ability to intercept potentially serious medication errors and reduce costs associated with such errors.     

Commercial claims costs related to health care resource use associated with a diagnosis of peanut allergy

BackgroundPeanut allergy (PA) affects approximately 1.6 million US children. The current standard of care is strict avoidance and prompt reaction treatment. Peanut allergy health care costs and health care resource utilization (HCRU) are poorly understood.ObjectiveTo estimate PA health care costs and HCRU using a nationally representative commercial payer database.MethodsThe IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database was examined for PA diagnosis/reaction codes between January 2010 and October 2016 in patients 64 years of age or younger, with age cohort–matched controls. Outcomes were measured 12 months before and after the first claim date. Health care costs and HCRU were compared using Student's t tests and χ² tests.ResultsPatients with a PA-related diagnostic code (n = 41,675) incurred almost double all-cause health care costs vs controls ($6436 vs $3493, P < .001), mainly from inpatient and outpatient medical costs ($5002 vs $2832, P < .001). More than one third of the PA group patients (36%) had a code indicative of an anaphylactic reaction during follow-up. Mean PA or reaction-related code costs per visit totaled $7921 for hospitalizations and $1115 for emergency department (ED) visits. Costs were 30% lower in patients with asthma codes without PA codes vs those with both codes ($5678 vs $8112, P < .001); all-cause ED costs were more than double in patients with atopic dermatitis codes with PA codes vs those without PA codes ($654 vs $308, P < .001).ConclusionNational commercial payer claims data indicate a significant health care burden associated with a PA-related code, including over $6400/patient in annual all-cause costs and increased health care utilization.     

Early Antiretroviral Therapy for Patients With Acute AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of ACTG A5164

Abstract

Purpose: ACTG A5164 demonstrated that early antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected patients with acute opportunistic infections (OIs) reduced death and AIDS progression compared to ART initiation 1 month later. We project the life expectancies, costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of these strategies. Method: Using an HIV simulation model, we compared 2 strategies for patients with acute OIs: (1) an intervention to deliver early ART, and (2) deferred ART. Parameters from ACTG A5164 included initial mean CD4 count (47/μL), linkage to outpatient care (87%), and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome 1 month after ART initiation (7%). The estimated intervention cost was $1,650/patient. Results: Early ART lowered projected 1-year mortality from 10.4% to 8.2% and increased life expectancy from 10.07 to 10.39 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Lifetime costs increased from $385,220 with deferred ART to $397,500 with early ART, primarily because life expectancy increased, producing an ICER of $38,600/QALY. Results were most sensitive to increased intervention cost and decreased virologic efficacy in the early ART strategy. Conclusions: An intervention to initiate ART early in patients with acute OIs improves survival and meets US cost-effectiveness thresholds. Programs should be developed to implement this strategy at sites where HIV-infected patients present with OIs.