Resource Utilization and Costs of Schizophrenia Patients Treated with Olanzapine versus Quetiapine in a Medicaid Population

ObjectiveCompare annual health-care costs and resource utilization associated with olanzapine versus quetiapine for treating schizophrenia in a Medicaid population.MethodsAdult schizophrenia patients were selected from deidentified Pennsylvania Medicaid claims database (1999–2003). Included patients were continuously enrolled and initiated with olanzapine or quetiapine monotherapy after a 90-day washout period. Treatment costs were calculated for 1-year post-therapy initiation and inflation adjusted to year 2003. To control for selection bias, olanzapine and quetiapine patients were 1:1 matched using an optimal matching algorithm on propensity score, which was generated using logistic regression controlling for demographics, prior drug therapy, utilization, and costs. Treatment costs for the matched cohorts were compared directly, as well as using a difference-in-difference analysis.ResultsA total of 6929 patients treated with olanzapine and 2321 with quetiapine met inclusion criteria. Quetiapine patients appeared more severe at baseline. After propensity score matching, 2321 patient pairs had similar baseline characteristics, including total costs. Compared with matched quetiapine patients, for the 1-year postindex period, olanzapine patients had similar drug costs ($6131 vs. $6014, P = 0.326), lower medical costs ($9897 vs. $11,218, P = 0.0128), and lower total health-care costs ($16,028 vs. $17,232, P = 0.0279). Lower psychiatric hospitalization costs account for most of the total cost difference. Difference-in-difference regression analysis confirmed olanzapine's economic advantage. Further adjusting for baseline variations, the total cost advantage of olanzapine patients was $962 (P = 0.032), and was mostly because of reduced psychiatric hospitalization costs of $992 (P = 0.004).ConclusionSchizophrenia patients treated with olanzapine had lower total costs than quetiapine patients, mostly attributable to reductions in psychiatric hospitalization costs.     

基于供方视角的我国帕金森病患者直接医疗成本测算

目的:基于供方视角,探究我国帕金森病患者的直接医疗成本.方法:对我国19个省66家三级医院的102名帕金森病临床专家进行问卷调查,获得帕金森病各进展期患者医疗服务利用的平均单价、频率、占比以及药物的平均剂量、频率等成本数据,计算获得各期患者年平均成本.结果:当前我国帕金森病患者早期(Hoehn-Yahr Ⅰ期和Ⅱ期)、...     

Cost-Effectiveness of Olanzapine as First-Line Treatment for Schizophrenia: Results from a Randomized, Open-Label, 1-Year Trial

OBJECTIVES: This randomized, open-label trial was designed to help inform antipsychotic treatment policies. It compared the 1-year cost-effectiveness of initial treatment with olanzapine (OLZ) (n = 229) versus a "fail-first" algorithm on conventional antipsychotics (then olanzapine if indicated) (CON) (n = 214); and versus initial treatment with risperidone (RIS) (n = 221). METHODS: Individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited from May 1998 to September 2001. Clinical, functioning, and resource utilization data were collected at baseline and five postbaseline visits. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores defined "clinical effectiveness;" Lehman Quality of Life Scale social relations scores defined "social effectiveness." RESULTS: Requiring failure on less expensive antipsychotics before use of olanzapine did not result in total cost savings, despite significantly higher antipsychotic costs with OLZ. Total 1-year mean costs were 21,283 dollars for CON; 20,891 dollars for OLZ; and 21,347 dollars for RIS (pair-wise comparisons nonsignificant). Intent-to-treat effectiveness comparisons (nonsignificant) were augmented by analyses that adjusted for duration on initial antipsychotic treatment, and by comparisons of patients remaining on initial antipsychotic treatment versus those who required switching. When accounting for differential switching rates (OLZ 0.14 vs. CON 0.53, P < 0.0001; vs. RIS 0.31, P < 0.0001), OLZ was significantly more effective than CON on clinical (P = 0.025) and social (P = 0.043) measures, and significantly more effective than RIS on the social (P = 0.002) measure. Further, patients initiated on an antipsychotic from which they needed to switch required additional resources for hospitalization (P = 0.036) and crisis services (P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Approaches that integrate costs, effectiveness, and treatment patterns are important for providing optimal information regarding the value of first-line antipsychotic options for schizophrenia.     

Relationship between Initial Quetiapine Dose and Effectiveness as Reflected in Subsequent Mental Health Service Use among Patients with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between initial quetiapine dose and effectiveness as gauged by subsequent use of mental health services. METHODS: Using a health plan database, we identified patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia treated with quetiapine monotherapy for at least four consecutive months. The stability of each patient before and after quetiapine treatment was measured by use of mental health services other than antipsychotic drug, measured primarily by charges reported on claims. Regression models controlling for patient differences measured associations between initial quetiapine dose and subsequent mental health service use. RESULTS: Commercially insured patients with schizophrenia (n = 581) or bipolar disorder (n = 2421) received quetiapine monotherapy at mean (SD) initial daily doses of 237 (198) mg and 147 (171) mg, respectively. Both groups showed negative associations between initial daily dose and subsequent mental health charges. Among patients with schizophrenia, mental health charges decreased by US 1.28 dollars for each additional milligram of quetiapine (P = 0.1097). Among patients with bipolar disorder, there was a significant decrease of US 1.31 dollars per additional milligram of quetiapine (P = 0.0484). For schizophrenia, hospitalizations were reduced by 0.4% for each additional milligram of quetiapine (P = 0.0189). For bipolar disorder, the association between quetiapine dose and outpatient charges was negative and trended toward significance (P = 0.074), showing a US 0.54 dollars reduction in these charges for each additional milligram of quetiapine; the association with hospitalization was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, higher initial doses of quetiapine may be more effective in stabilizing patients as reflected in lower subsequent mental health service use.     

Good Research Practices for Measuring Drug Costs in Cost-Effectiveness Analyses: Medicare, Medicaid and Other US Government Payers Perspectives: The ISPOR Drug Cost Task Force Report—Part IV

Objectives:  Public programs finance a large share of the US pharmaceutical expenditures. To date, there are not guidelines for estimating the cost of drugs financed by US public programs. The objective of this study was to provide standards for estimating the cost of drugs financed by US public programs for utilization in pharmacoeconomic evaluations.
Methods:  This report was prepared by the ISPOR Task Force on Good Research Practices—Use of Drug Costs for Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Medicare, Medicaid, and other US Government Payers Subgroup. The Subgroup was convened to assess the methodological and practical issues confronted by researchers when estimating the cost of drugs financed by US public programs, and to propose standards for more transparent, accurate and consistent costing methods.
Results:  The Subgroup proposed these recommendations: 1) researchers must consider regulation requirements that affect the drug cost paid by public programs; 2) drug cost must represent the actual acquisition cost, incorporating any rebates or discounts; 3) transparency with respect to cost inputs must be ensured; 4) inclusion of the public program's perspective is recommended; 5) high cost drugs require special attention, particularly when drugs represent a significant proportion of health-care expenditures for a specific disease; and 6) because of variations across public programs, sensitivity analyses for actual acquisition cost, real-world adherence, and generics availability are warranted. Specific recommendations also were proposed for the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Conclusions:  As pharmacoeconomic evaluations for coverage decisions made by US public programs grows, the need for precise and consistent estimation of drug costs is warranted. Application of the proposed recommendations will allow researchers to include accurate and unbiased cost estimates in pharmacoeconomic evaluations.     

Employment Outcomes in a Randomized Trial of Second-Generation Antipsychotics and Perphenazine in the Treatment of Individuals with Schizophrenia

Employment has been increasingly recognized as an important goal for individuals with schizophrenia. Previous research has shown mixed results on the relationship of specific antipsychotic medications to employment outcomes, with some studies finding greater benefits for second-generation antipsychotic medications (SGAs) over first-generation antipsychotic medication (FGAs). A randomized controlled trial (CATIE) examined medication assignment and both employment outcomes and participation in psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) among 1,121 individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia randomized to SGAs (olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone) or one FGA (perphenazine). Service use and employment were assessed at quarterly interviews. There were no differences between medication groups on employment outcomes or participation in PSR. Consistent with other CATIE results, there were no differences in employment or participation in PSR among these five medications, including the FGA perphenazine.     

Long-Term Care Use During the Last 2 Years of Life in Sweden: Implications for Policy to Address Increased Population Aging

ObjectivesTo map out the total use of long-term care (LTC; ie, home care or institutional care) during the last 2 years of life and to investigate to what extent gender differences in LTC use were explained by cohabitation status and age at death.DesignThe National Cause of Death Register was used to identify decedents. Use of LTC was based on the Social Services Register (SSR) and sociodemographic factors were provided by Statistics Sweden.Setting and ParticipantsAll persons living in Sweden who died in November 2015 aged ≥67 years (n = 5948).MethodsZero inflated negative binomial regression was used to estimate the relative impact of age, gender, and cohabitation status on the use of LTC.ResultsWomen used LTC to a larger extent [odds ratio (OR) 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92-2.50] and for a longer period [risk ratio (RR) 1.14, 95% CI 1.11-1.18] than men. When controlling for age at death and cohabitation status, gender differences in LTC attenuated (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.28-1.72) and vanished in regard to the duration. In the controlled model, women used LTC for 15.6 months (95% CI 15.2-16.0) and men for 14.1 months (95% CI 13.7-14.5) out of 24 months. The length of stay in institutional care was 7.2 (95% CI 6.8-7.5) and 6.2 months (95% CI 5.8-6.6), respectively.Conclusions and ImplicationsA substantial part of women's greater use of LTC was due to their higher age at death and because they more often lived alone. Given that survival continues to increase, the association between older age at death and LTC use suggests that policy makers will have to deal with an increased pressure on the LTC sector. Yet, increased survival among men could imply that more women will have access to spousal caregivers, although very old couples may have limited capacity for extensive caregiving at the end of life.     

The Cost of Sustaining a Patient-Centered Medical Home: Experience From 2 States

PURPOSE

As medical practices transform to patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), it is important to identify the ongoing costs of maintaining these “advanced primary care” functions. A key required input is personnel effort. This study’s objective was to assess direct personnel costs to practices associated with the staffing necessary to deliver PCMH functions as outlined in the National Committee for Quality Assurance Standards.

METHODS

We developed a PCMH cost dimensions tool to assess costs associated with activities uniquely required to maintain PCMH functions. We interviewed practice managers, nurse supervisors, and medical directors in 20 varied primary care practices in 2 states, guided by the tool. Outcome measures included categories of staff used to perform various PCMH functions, time and personnel costs, and whether practices were delivering PCMH functions.

RESULTS

Costs per full-time equivalent primary care clinician associated with PCMH functions varied across practices with an average of $7,691 per month in Utah practices and $9,658 in Colorado practices. PCMH incremental costs per encounter were $32.71 in Utah and $36.68 in Colorado. The average estimated cost per member per month for an assumed panel of 2,000 patients was $3.85 in Utah and $4.83 in Colorado.

CONCLUSIONS

Identifying costs of maintaining PCMH functions will contribute to effective payment reform and to sustainability of transformation. Maintenance and ongoing support of PCMH functions require additional time and new skills, which may be provided by existing staff, additional staff, or both. Adequate compensation for ongoing and substantial incremental costs is critical for practices to sustain PCMH functions.     

高压氧与常规药物治疗突发性耳聋患者的效果比较

目的：比较高压氧与常规药物治疗突发性耳聋患者的临床效果。方法：将笔者所在医院收治的86例突发性耳聋患者随机均分为对照组与观察组,对照组采取单纯常规药物治疗,观察组在对照组基础上联合高压氧疗法进行治疗,对比两组疗效。结果：观察组治愈率为34．00％,总有效率为80．00％;对照组治愈率为18．37％,总有效率为59．18％,观察组总效率明显优于对照组俨〈0．05）。结论：高压氧联合常规药物治疗突发性耳聋可有效提高临床疗效,可于临床推广应用。     

Good Research Practices for Measuring Drug Costs in Cost Effectiveness Analyses: Issues and Recommendations: The ISPOR Drug Cost Task Force Report—Part I

ObjectivesThe assignment of prices or costs to pharmaceuticals can be crucial to results and conclusions that are derived from pharmacoeconomic cost effectiveness analyses (CEAs). Although numerous pharmacoeconomic practice guidelines are available in the literature and have been promulgated in many countries, these guidelines are either vague or silent about how drug costs should be established or measured. This is particularly problematic in pharmacoeconomic studies performed from the “societal” perspective, because typically the measured cost of a brand name pharmaceutical is not a true economic cost but also includes transfer payments from some members of society (patients and third party payers) to other members of society (pharmaceutical manufacturer stockholders) in large part as a reward for biomedical innovation. Moreover, there are numerous and complex institutional factors that influence how drug costs should be measured from other CEA perspectives, both internationally and within the domestic US context. The objective of this report is to provide guidance and recommendations on how drug costs should be measured for CEAs performed from a number of key analytic perspectives.MethodsISPOR Task Force on Good Research Practices—Use of Drug Costs for Cost Effectiveness Analysis (Drug Cost Task Force [DCTF]) was appointed with the advice and consent of the ISPOR Board of Directors. Members were experienced developers or users of CEA models, worked in academia, industry, and as advisors to governments, and came from several countries. Because how drug costs should be measured for CEAs depend on the perspectives, five Task Force subgroups were created to develop drug cost standards from the societal, managed care, US government, industry, and international perspective. The ISPOR Task Force on Good Research Practices—Use of Drug Costs for Cost Effectiveness Analysis (DCTF) subgroups met to develop core assumptions and an outline before preparing six draft reports. They solicited comments on the outline and drafts from a core group of 174 external reviewers and more broadly from the membership of ISPOR at two ISPOR meetings and via the ISPOR web site.ResultsDrug cost measurements should be fully transparent and reflect the net payment most relevant to the user's perspective. The Task Force recommends that for CEAs of brand name drugs performed from a societal perspective, either 1) CEA analysts use a cost that more accurately reflects true societal drug costs (e.g., 20–60% of average sales price), or when that is too unrealistic to be meaningful for decision-makers, 2) refer to their analyses as from a “limited societal perspective.” CEAs performed from a payer perspective should use drug prices actually paid by the relevant payer net of all rebates, copays, or other adjustments. When such price adjustments are confidential, the analyst should apply a typical or average discount that preserves this confidentiality.ConclusionsDrug transaction prices not only ration current use of medication but also ration future biomedical research and development. CEA researchers should tailor the appropriate measure of drug costs to the analytic perspective, maintain clarity and transparency on drug cost measurement, and report the sensitivity of CEA results to reasonable drug cost measurement alternatives.     

Alcohol Use and Implications for Public Health: Patterns of Use in Four Communities

Background:

Alcohol is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally and in India. Information on quantum and pattern of consumption is crucial to formulate intervention programs.

Objectives:

To identify the extent and pattern of alcohol use in urban, rural, town and slum populations using a uniform methodology.

Materials and Methods:

Door-to-door survey was undertaken and simple random sampling methodology was adopted; households were the primary sampling unit. One respondent in each alcohol-user household was randomly chosen for detailed interview.

Results:

Overall, 13% of males and females consumed alcohol. Proportion of users was greater in town (15.7%) and among 26–45 years (67.4%). Whisky (49%) and arrack (35%) were the preferred types and the preferences differed between rural (arrack) and urban (beer) areas. Nearly half (45%) of rural population were very frequent users (consuming daily or every alternate-days) as against users in town (23%) or slum (20%). Two-thirds were long-term users and the proportions were greater in the rural and town areas. While, overall 17% of the users were heavy-users, frequent-heavy-drinking was more in slum and rural areas. Nearly two-thirds consumed alcohol in liquor-shops, restaurants, bars and pubs. Habituation and peer-pressure were the key reasons for alcohol use.

Conclusions:

The study documented alcohol use and patterns of use in four different communities particularly in transitional areas using similar methodology. Many of the patterns identified are detrimental to health both immediate and over the long period of time.     

Co-located Substance Use Treatment and HIV Prevention and Primary Care Services,New York State, 1990–2002: A Model for Effective Service Delivery to a High-Risk Population

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) AIDS Institute (AI) began an initiative in 1990 in collaboration with the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to colocate HIV prevention and clinical services at drug treatment clinics. In 1990, the initiative began funding drug treatment programs to provide HIV counseling, testing, and prevention services. HIV primary care was added the following year. Program implementation and development are described. An analysis is included of HIV counseling and testing data for the period 1990–2002 and quality of care data for five standardized quality measures with comparisons to data from other clinical settings. In the first 13 years of the initiative 168,340 HIV-antibody tests were conducted including 52,562 tests of injection drug users (IDUs) identifying 14,612 HIV-infected persons; the seroprevalence was 8.68%. By the end of 2000, the HIV primary care caseload peaked at 3,815 patients. Quality of primary medical care services among participating drug treatment programs has consistently matched or exceeded that provided in more conventional health care settings such as the hospitals and community health centers that were used as a basis for comparison. Colocating HIV primary care within substance use treatment is an effective strategy for providing accessible high-quality HIV prevention and primary care services. Rothman is with the Bureau of HIV Ambulatory Care, AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA; Rudnick and Slifer are with the Substance Abuse Unit, AIDS Institute, New York, NY, USA; Agins is with the Office of the Medical Director, AIDS Institute, New York, NY, USA; Heiner is with the Karl Heiner Statistical Consulting, Ltd., Schenectady, New York, USA; Birkhead is with the AIDS Institute, Albany, New York, USA.     

Cost Effectiveness of Candida Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection and Empirical Antifungal Treatment among Patients with Suspected Fungal Peritonitis in the Intensive Care Unit

Background

Mortality from intra-abdominal candidiasis in intensive care units (ICUs) is high. It takes many days for peritoneal-fluid fungal culture to become positive, and the recommended empirical antifungal therapy involves excessive costs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) should produce results more rapidly than fungal culture.

现代医院在用医疗器械风险管理的现状与思考

医疗器械的风险管理是现代医院管理的薄弱环节之一,通过对医疗器械不良事件的介绍,分析了在用医疗器械风险管理的现状,提出了控制医疗器械风险的措施。