Direct medical costs of treating Mexican children under 2 years of age with respiratory syncytial virus

Background. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most frequent etiologic agent causing lower respiratory tract infection in children <2 years of age. Between 0.5 and 3% of patients will require hospitalization. The aim of this study was to estimate the direct medical cost of treating children <2 years old with suspicion of RSV at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). Methods. Direct medical costs were estimated from an institutional perspective. Medical records were reviewed from patients <2 years of age who attended emergency services in second-level hospitals including subjects who required hospitalization. Estimated costs were obtained with the microcosting technique using the institutional costs from IMSS (year 2010). Costs were reported in USD (year 2011). Results. When analyzing total medical costs, outpatient management yielded a cost of $230.0 ± $10.30 U.S. dollars (USD), whereas hospitalized patients exhibited an average cost of $8,313.20 ± $595.30 USD. The main components of outpatient management costs were emergency visits, specialist consultations and diagnostic testing (41.6%, 32.7% and 10.7% of the total cost, respectively). In the case of hospitalized patients, intensive care unit cost (89.3%) and overall hospitalization cost (6.5%) represented 95.7% of the total cost. Conclusions. RSV is a disease that represents a significant economic burden for health care institutions, although most patients are treated on an outpatient basis.

Tratamiento antimicótico empírico de pacientes inmunocomprometidos con neutropenia y fiebre persistente con sospecha de aspergilosis sistémica: análisis de costo-efectividad en México / Empirical anti-mycotic treatment of immunocompromised patients with neutropenia and persistent fever with suspicion of systemic aspergillosis: Cost-effectiveness study in Mexico

Introducción. Las micosis sistémicas generan un gran incremento en los costos de la atención médica. Se evaluó el medicamento más costo-efectivo para el tratamiento empírico de aspergilosis sistémica entre la anfotericina B, caspofungina y voriconazol en pacientes con fiebre persistente y neutropenia. Métodos. Modelo tipo árbol de decisiones para estimar los resultados clínicos esperados y los costos asociados del tratamiento de la aspergilosis sistémica. La perspectiva del estudio fue la del proveedor de servicios públicos de salud (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social [IMSS]). Temporalidad: 12 semanas. Medida de efectividad: tasa de remisión completa de la infección micótica. Se desarrollaron análisis de sensibilidad univaridos y probabilísticos. Resultados. Los costos totales promedio por paciente esperados para el tratamiento empírico de aspergilosis resultaron convoriconazol en $57 378.58 US; $72 833.96 US con anfotericina B, y de $49 962.37 US con caspofungina. La tasa de remisión total sin eventos adversos fue de 37% para caspofungina, 43.6% para voriconazol y de 51.1% para anfotericina B. El análisis de sensibilidad probabilístico muestra que voriconazol sería el tratamiento más costo-efectivo en 65% de los casos, independientemente de la disposición a pagar por el IMSS. Conclusiones. Los resultados presentados concuerdan con la afirmación de que el tratamiento estándar de primera línea recientemente propuesto para el tratamiento empírico de aspergilosis sistémica debe ser voriconazol.

Introduction. Systemic mycosis has a great impact on medical care costs. The objective of this study was to assess the most cost-effective empirical treatment for systemic aspergillosis, evaluating amphotericin B, caspofungin and voriconazole in patients with persistent fever and neutropenia. Methods. A decision-tree model was used to estimate expected clinical results and costs associated with the treatment for systemic aspergillosis. The study used a healthcare payer's perspective (Mexican Institute of Social Security, IMSS). Time frame was 12 weeks. Effectiveness measure was complete remission of mycotic infection. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results. Average total expected costs per patient for the voriconazole treatment were US $57 378.58, for amphotericin B US $72 833.96, and for caspofungin were US $49 962.37. Thetotal expected remission rate without any adverse events was 37% for caspofungin, 43.6% for voriconazole and 51.1% for amphotericin B. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that voriconazole would be a cost-effective treatment with 65% confidence, regardless of the willingness to pay the IMSS. Conclusions. The results of the study agree with the recommendation that voriconazole must be the empirical treatment for systemic aspergillosis, proposed as a standard first-line antifungal drug.

El concepto de willingness-to-pay en tela de juicio: [revisión] / The willingness-to-pay concept in question: [review]

La idoneidad del concepto de willingness to pay (disponibilidad a pagar) es revisado en las evaluaciones económicas que se realizan en el campo de la salud. Por un lado, existe dentro de la literatura económica un número importante de investigadores que señalan los múltiples problemas metodológicos que entrañan las estimaciones de willingness to pay. Por otro lado, aún el debate teórico-conceptual acerca de la agregación de las preferencias individuales dentro de una demanda agregada no ésta del todo resuelto. Sin embargo, durante los últimos 20 años la estimación de la disponibilidad a pagar dentro de las investigaciones económicas ha aumentado de forma significativa, siendo en muchos casos uno de los principales factores de la toma de decisión en políticas de salud. Plantease alguna de las limitaciones de esta técnica, así como el posible efecto distorsionador que podría tener sobre las evaluaciones económicas que se realizan en el área de la economía de la salud.

The adequacy of the concept of willingness to pay within health economics evaluations is reviewed. A considerable number of researchers in the literature have pointed out multiple methodological issues involving willingness-to-pay estimates. On the other hand, the theoretical discussion about the aggregation of individual preferences within an aggregate demand remains open. However, over the last 20 years, willingness-to-pay estimates alongside health economics research significantly increased and in many cases they are one of the key factors for decision making on issues of health policies. The article describes some limitations of this approach as well as the potential distorting effect that it might have on health economics evaluations.

São revisadas as limitações do uso do conceito de willingness to pay (disposição a pagar) nas avaliações econômicas que se realizam no campo da saúde. Há na literatura econômica muitos investigadores que assinalam os múltiplos problemas metodológicos inerentes às estimações de willingness to pay. Por outro lado, o debate teórico-conceitual acerca da agregação das preferências individuais dentro de uma demanda agregada não está totalmente resolvido. Contudo, durante os últimos 20 anos, a estimação da disposição a pagar calculada pelos estudos tem aumentado de forma significativa, sendo em muitos casos um dos principais fatores de tomada de decisão em políticas de saúde. São apresentadas algumas das limitações desta técnica, assim como o possível efeito de distorção que poderia ter sobre as avaliações econômicas em saúde.

Competencia en el sector salud: análisis de la reforma sueca (1992 - 1995): [comentarios] / Competitiveness in the health care sector: analysis of the Swedish reform (1992-1995): [comment]

El artículo revisa los éxitos y fracasos de la reforma sueca de salud, así como las lecciones que dejó en su afán de alcanzar mejores resultados financieros y estándares de calidad.

The paper reviews the outcomes and failures of the Swedish health care reform, as well as the lessons learned for accomplishing better financial results and quality standards.