Self-monitoring induced savings on type 2 diabetes patients' travel and healthcare costs

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Self-monitoring induced savings on type 2 diabetes patients' travel and healthcare costs
Authors: Leminen, Aapeli, Tykkyläinen, Markku, Laatikainen, Tiina
Contributors: Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, shared activities, Department of Geographical and Historical Studies / Geography,School of Medicine / Public Health
Publisher Information: Elsevier BV
Irlanti
Publication Year: 2018
Collection: University of Eastern Finland: UEF Electronic Publications
Subject Terms: HbA1c screening, self-monitoring, electronic patient database, georeferenced cost model, network analysis, healthcare accessibility
Description: Background Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a major health concern in most regions. In addition to direct healthcare costs, diabetes causes many indirect costs that are often ignored in economic analyses. Patients’ travel and time costs associated with the follow-up of T2DM patients have not been previously calculated systematically over an entire healthcare district. The aim of the study was to develop a georeferenced cost model that could be used to measure healthcare accessibility and patient travel and time costs in a sparsely populated healthcare district in Finland. Additionally, the model was used to test whether savings in the total costs of follow-up of T2DM patients are achieved by increasing self-monitoring and implementing electronic feedback practices between healthcare staff and patients. Methods Patient data for this study was obtained from the regional electronic patient database Mediatri. A georeferenced cost model of linear equations was developed with ESRI ArcGIS 10.3 software and ModelBuilder tool. The Model utilizes OD Cost Matrix method of network analysis to calculate optimal routes for primary-care follow-up visits. Results In the study region of North Karelia, the average annual total costs of T2DM follow-up screening of HbA1c (9070 patients) conforming to the national clinical guidelines are 280 EUR/297 USD per patient. Combined travel and time costs are 21 percent of the total costs. Implementing self-monitoring for a half of the follow-up still within the guidelines, the average annual total costs of HbA1c screening could be reduced by 57 percent from 280 EUR/297 USD to 121 EUR/129 USD per patient. Conclusions Travel costs related to HbA1c screening of T2DM patients constitute a substantial cost item, the consideration of which in healthcare planning would enable the societal cost-efficiency of T2DM care to be improved. Even more savings in both travel costs and healthcare costs of T2DM can be achieved by utilizing more self-monitoring and electronic feedback practices. Additionally, the ...
Document Type: article in journal/newspaper
File Description: 120-127
Language: unknown
ISSN: 1386-5056
Relation: International Journal of Medical Informatics; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2018.04.012; 115; https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/6645
Availability: https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/6645
Rights: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 ; openAccess ; © Authors ; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Accession Number: edsbas.6D06FB03
Database: BASE
Description
Abstract:Background Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a major health concern in most regions. In addition to direct healthcare costs, diabetes causes many indirect costs that are often ignored in economic analyses. Patients’ travel and time costs associated with the follow-up of T2DM patients have not been previously calculated systematically over an entire healthcare district. The aim of the study was to develop a georeferenced cost model that could be used to measure healthcare accessibility and patient travel and time costs in a sparsely populated healthcare district in Finland. Additionally, the model was used to test whether savings in the total costs of follow-up of T2DM patients are achieved by increasing self-monitoring and implementing electronic feedback practices between healthcare staff and patients. Methods Patient data for this study was obtained from the regional electronic patient database Mediatri. A georeferenced cost model of linear equations was developed with ESRI ArcGIS 10.3 software and ModelBuilder tool. The Model utilizes OD Cost Matrix method of network analysis to calculate optimal routes for primary-care follow-up visits. Results In the study region of North Karelia, the average annual total costs of T2DM follow-up screening of HbA1c (9070 patients) conforming to the national clinical guidelines are 280 EUR/297 USD per patient. Combined travel and time costs are 21 percent of the total costs. Implementing self-monitoring for a half of the follow-up still within the guidelines, the average annual total costs of HbA1c screening could be reduced by 57 percent from 280 EUR/297 USD to 121 EUR/129 USD per patient. Conclusions Travel costs related to HbA1c screening of T2DM patients constitute a substantial cost item, the consideration of which in healthcare planning would enable the societal cost-efficiency of T2DM care to be improved. Even more savings in both travel costs and healthcare costs of T2DM can be achieved by utilizing more self-monitoring and electronic feedback practices. Additionally, the ...
ISSN:13865056