The economic burden of end-of-life care in metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To assess end-of-life (EOL) total healthcare costs and resource utilization during the last 6 months of claims follow-up among patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who received systemic anti-neoplastic therapy. METHODS: Newly diagnosed females with MBC initiating treatment January 1, 2003-June 30, 2011 were identified in a large commercial claims database. Two cohorts were defined based on a proxy measure for EOL 1 month prior to the end of last recorded follow-up within the study period: patients who were assumed dead at end of claims follow-up (EOL cohort) and patients who were alive (no-end-of-life [NEOL] cohort). Proxy measures for EOL were obtained from published literature and clinical expert opinion. Cost and resource utilization were evaluated for the 6 months prior to end of claims follow-up. Baseline variables, resource utilization, and costs were compared between cohorts with univariate statistical tests. Adjusted relative risks were calculated for resource utilization measures. A covariate-adjusted generalized linear model evaluated 6-month total healthcare costs. RESULTS: Of the 3,878 females included, 18.5% (n = 718) met the criteria for EOL. Mean observational time (MBC onset to end of claims follow-up) was shorter for the EOL cohort (EOL, 32 months vs NEOL, 35 months; p < 0.001). In adjusted analyses, the EOL cohort had 4.15 times higher 6-month total healthcare costs (EOL, $72,112 vs NEOL, $17,137; p < 0.001). NEOL month-to-month mean total healthcare costs fluctuated between $2336-$3145, while EOL costs increased steadily from $8,956 in the sixth month prior to death to $19,326 in the last month of life. The adjusted relative risk of inpatient, hospice and emergency department utilization was >2 times higher in the EOL cohort (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Potential EOL presented a greater economic burden in the 6 months prior to death. EOL month-to-month costs increased precipitously in the last 2 months of life and were driven by acute inpatient care.

Single- versus multiple-tablet HIV regimens: adherence and hospitalization risks.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of antiretroviral therapy as a single-tablet regimen (STR) and multiple-tablet regimen (MTR) on outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS patients using electronic health records from the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. METHODS: This study evaluated VHA patients to whom HIV medications were dispensed as STRs or MTRs during the study period (January 1, 2006, to July 30, 2012). Patients were followed from the index date (ie, start of regimen) until treatment discontinuation, end of study period, last date of healthcare-related activity, or death. Differences in outcomes of hospitalization, adherence defined as a medication possession ratio of ≥ 95%, and undetectable viral load were evaluated using a Cox-proportional hazard and logistic model controlling for covariates measured during a 6-month baseline period. RESULTS: A total of 15,602 patients (6191 STR and 9411 MTR) met all study criteria. The study sample was, on average, aged 52 years with similar CD4 counts (mean ± SD: 432.2 ± 282.8 vs 419.3 ± 280.9; P = .287), but a significantly lower proportion of STR versus MTR patients had an undetectable viral load at baseline (42% vs 46%; P < .001). After controlling for baseline covariates, the STR cohort had twice the odds of being adherent (odds ratio [OR], 1.98; P < .001), 31% had a significantly lower hazard of having a hospitalization (hazard ratio, 0.69; P < .001), and 21% had higher odds of having an undetectable viral load during follow-up (OR, 1.21; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: STR is associated with higher adherence rates, decreased hospitalizations, and more patients with an undetectable viral load in VHA patients with HIV/AIDS.

Willingness to pay to avoid metastatic breast cancer treatment side effects: results from a conjoint analysis.

PURPOSE: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients are treated with a variety of regimens with differing side effects that can reduce the patients' quality of life. This study assessed the willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid side effects related to MBC treatment using conjoint analysis. METHODS: An online, self-administered conjoint analysis survey of US adult female MBC patients was conducted to elicit preferences for MBC treatment side effects. Attributes included in the analysis were hair loss, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, tingling in hands and feet, pain, risk of infection, and out-of-pocket costs. Fifteen choice-based conjoint questions were presented where patients selected the most preferred therapy. A partial profile design was used to allow for each treatment description to be made with 3 instead of all 8 attributes. The attribute choices for each question included 2 side effects and a yearly out-of-pocket price. RESULTS: There were 298 respondents. MBC patients were willing to pay (US$) $3,894 to avoid severe diarrhea, $3,479 to avoid being hospitalized due to infection, $3,211 to avoid severe nausea, $2,764 to avoid severe tingling in hands and feet, $2,652 to avoid severe fatigue, $1,853 to avoid obvious hair loss, and $1,458 to avoid severe pain. The most important attributes when selecting a therapy for MBC in terms of average utility were risk of infection, diarrhea, and nausea. CONCLUSIONS: MBC patients were willing to pay significant amounts to avoid side effects associated with MBC treatment, with patients willing to pay the most to avoid diarrhea, risk of infection, and nausea.

Economic considerations for mid-urethral sling procedures among patients with stress urinary incontinence.

OVERVIEW: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is associated with a hefty economic burden. Retropubic and transobturator vaginal slings have become common surgical options for women with SUI. This study examines the costs of transobturator slings for SUI surgeries. METHODS: A model was created to estimate the budget impact to hospitals of transobturator sling surgery in women with SUI. Current practice using transobturator slings including the MonarcTM Subfascial Hammock, Obtryx® Transobturator Mid-Urethral Sling System, Aris® Transobturator Sling System, Align® TO Trans-Obturator Urethral Support System, GYNECARE TVTTM Obturator System Tension-free Support for Incontinence and GYNECARE TVT ABBREVOTM Continence System were modeled. Four surgical complications were considered: re-operation due to failure, revision or removal of sling, urologic complications including urinary obstruction and urinary tract infection, and pelvic complications. This model calculates the average 1-year cost per patient with the use of each sling product and estimates the total budget for sling urinary incontinence surgery associated with each product based on these calculations. RESULTS: Average incremental cost over 1 year ranged from $2,601 (GYNECARE TVTTM Obturator) to $3,132 (Desara®) per patient. In a hypothetical population of 100 patients, a 10% shift from the most to the least expensive option was associated with a 2% decrease in hospital expenditures. With the current market share for transobturator sling products, the expected expenditure is around $285,533 for a surgical population of 100 patients. Sling costs account for approximately $105,526 (37%) of this cost, with complications comprising the remaining majority. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first comparative assessment of the costs of different sling options for stress urinary incontinence surgeries. GYNECARE TVT ABBREVOTM and GYNECARE TVTTM Obturator products represent a sound clinical and economic choice for hospitals. Moreover, the reduction in expenditures is obtained at the benefit of patients, who experience fewer complications and avoid complication-related procedures.

Long-term patterns of use and treatment failure with anticholinergic agents for overactive bladder.

BACKGROUND: Overactive bladder (OAB) involves a complex set of symptoms with a lifetime prevalence of any symptom in ~30% of women and 20% of men. Anticholinergic agents are associated with poor medication persistence in OAB treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the long-term patterns of use and treatment failure in patients prescribed anticholinergic agents for OAB. METHODS: This was a nonexperimental, retrospective cohort study. Medical, pharmacy, and eligibility data from the IMS LifeLink Health Plans Claims Database were used. Men and women aged ≥18 years were eligible for inclusion with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, diagnosis of OAB in any field during the patient study period from January 2005 to June 2010. First documentation of a prescription filled between July 2005 and June 2008 for an anticholinergic agent was defined as the index prescription. Other inclusion criteria were: ≥1 pharmacy claim for an anticholinergic drug between July 2005 and June 2008; continuous enrollment 6 months before the index date, during which no anticholinergic drugs were filled; and 24 months of follow-up from the index prescription. Study outcomes were treatment failure, discontinuation, switch, reinitiation, and adherence. Treatment failure was defined as having a treatment discontinuation (ie, treatment gap of ≥45 days) or switching anticholinergic therapy. RESULTS: The analytic cohort comprised 103,250 patients with a mean age of 58.7 years. A majority were female (73%) and privately insured (75%). The vast majority of patients (91.7%) failed to meet their treatment goals with their index anticholinergic agent over the 24-month follow-up period. Of these, 5.8% switched, 51.3% permanently discontinued all anticholinergic agents, and 34.6% reinitiated treatment sometime after 45 days. The mean (SD) time to treatment failure was 159 (216.0) days, with a mean of 1.3 (0.5) unique anticholinergic agents per patient. Forty-eight percent of patients demonstrated appropriate adherence as determined by a medication possession ratio ≥80%. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides real-world data on treatment patterns over 2 years in a large cohort of patients diagnosed with OAB. Despite the potential for better adherence with some anticholinergic agents, these analyses suggest that such benefits have not yet been realized, and many patients end up without effective pharmacotherapy. Thus, there is a need for new therapies and strategies to increase persistence and adherence to improve outcomes in OAB.

Economic and humanistic consequences of preventable bladder tumor recurrences in nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer cases.

PURPOSE: Perioperative intravesical chemotherapy following transurethral resection of bladder tumor has been underused despite level 1 evidence supporting its performance. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the economic and humanistic consequences associated with preventable recurrences in patients initially diagnosed with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using population based estimates of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer incidence, a 2-year model was developed to estimate the number of preventable recurrences in eligible patients untreated with perioperative intravesical chemotherapy. Therapy utilization rates were obtained from a retrospective database analysis and a chart review study of 1,010 patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. Recurrence rates of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer were obtained from a randomized clinical trial comparing transurethral resection of bladder tumor with or without perioperative mitomycin C. Costs were estimated using prevailing Medicare reimbursement rates. Quality adjusted life-year estimates and disutilities for complications were obtained from the literature. RESULTS: The model estimated that 7,827 bladder recurrences could be avoided if all patients received immediate intravesical chemotherapy. It estimated an economic savings of $3,847 per avoidable recurrence, resulting in an aggregate savings of $30.1 million. The model also estimated that 1,025 quality adjusted life-years are lost every 2 years due to preventable recurrences, resulting in 0.13 quality adjusted life-years (48 quality adjusted days) lost per avoidable recurrence. This translates into 0.02 quality adjusted life-years (8.1 quality adjusted days) lost per patient not receiving immediate intravesical chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Greater use of immediate intravesical chemotherapy in the United States has the potential to substantially decrease the economic and humanistic burdens of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.

Surveillance and treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the USA.

Seventy percent of newly diagnosed bladder cancers are classified as non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and are often associated with high rates of recurrence that require lifelong surveillance. Currently available treatment options for NMIBC are associated with toxicities that limit their use, and actual practice patterns vary depending upon physician and patient characteristics. In addition, bladder cancer has a high economic and humanistic burden in the United States (US) population and has been cited as one of the most costly cancers to treat. An unmet need exists for new treatment options associated with fewer complications, better patient compliance, and decreased healthcare costs. Increased prevention of recurrence through greater adherence to evidence-based guidelines and the development of novel therapies could therefore result in substantial savings to the healthcare system.

Antiepileptic drug monotherapy: the initial approach in epilepsy management.

Antiepileptic drug (AED) monotherapy is the preferred initial management approach in epilepsy care, since most patients may be successfully managed with the first or second monotherapy utilized. This article reviews the rationale and evidence supporting preferential use of monotherapy when possible and guidelines for initiating and successfully employing AED monotherapy. Suggested approaches to consider when patients fail monotherapy include substituting a new AED monotherapy, initiating chronic maintenance AED polytherapy, or pursuit of non-pharmacologic treatments such as epilepsy surgery or vagus nerve stimulation. Reducing AED polytherapy to monotherapy frequently reduces the burden of adverse effects and may also improve seizure control. AED monotherapy remains the optimal approach for managing most patients with epilepsy.

Transitional polytherapy: tricks of the trade for monotherapy to monotherapy AED conversions.

The goal of epilepsy therapy is to help patients achieve seizure freedom without adverse effects. While monotherapy is preferable in epilepsy treatment, many patients fail a first drug due to lack of efficacy or failure to tolerate an initial medication, necessitating an alteration in therapy. Sudden changes between monotherapies are rarely feasible and sometimes deleterious given potential hazards of acute seizure exacerbation or intolerable adverse effects. The preferred method for converting between monotherapies is transitional polytherapy, a process involving initiation of a new antiepileptic drug (AED) and adjusting it toward a target dose while maintaining or reducing the dose of the baseline medication. A fixed-dose titration strategy of maintaining the baseline drug dose while titrating the new medication is preferable when breakthrough seizures are occurring and no adverse effects are present. However, a flexible titration strategy involving reduction of the baseline drug dose to ensure adequate tolerability of the new adjunctive medication is preferred when patients are already experiencing adverse effects. This article reviews pharmacokinetic considerations pertinent for ensuring successful transitional polytherapy with the standard and newer antiepileptic drugs. Practical consensus recommendations "from an expect panel (SPECTRA, Study by a Panel of Experts Considerations for Therapy Replacement and Antiepileptics) for a successful monotherapy" AED conversions are then summarized. Transitional polytherapy is most successful when clinicians appropriately manage the titration strategy and consider pharmacokinetic factors germane to the baseline and new adjunctive medication.

Concerns with AED conversion: comparison of patient and physician perspectives.

When discussing AED conversion in the clinic, both the patient and physician perspectives on the goals and risks of this change are important to consider. To identify patient-reported and clinician-perceived concerns, a panel of epilepsy specialists was questioned about the topics discussed with patients and the clinician's perspective of patient concerns. Findings of a literature review of articles that report patient-expressed concerns regarding their epilepsy and treatment were also reviewed. Results showed that the specialist panel appropriately identified patient-reported concerns of driving ability, medication cost, seizure control, and medication side effects. Additionally, patient-reported concerns of independence, employment issues, social stigma, medication dependence, and undesirable cognitive effects are important to address when considering and initiating AED conversion.

Potential drug-drug interactions with antiepileptic drugs in Medicaid recipients.

PURPOSE: The frequency of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) between antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and other (non-AED) medications in Medicaid patients taking newer AED monotherapy, older AED monotherapy, and combinations of AED treatment was studied. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study was conducted using administrative claims obtained from South Carolina Medicaid. Patients were included in the analysis if they (1) had at least one prescription for an AED between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2004, (2) were taking a specific AED for at least 60 days, (3) had at least one epilepsy diagnosis during the 6 months before or during the enrollment period, and (4) were enrolled in Medicaid for at least 11 of the 12 months of the follow-up period. Possible DDI exposure was defined as 10 days of overlap between an AED and a non-AED known to have the potential to cause a clinically relevant interaction. RESULTS: A total of 4955 patients met the inclusion criteria. Approximately 45% of patients receiving monotherapy with an older AED had a potential DDI, compared with 3.9% receiving a newer AED. An average of 0.08 potential DDI per year of exposure occurred in the newer AED monotherapy cohort compared with 1.18 in the older AED monotherapy cohort. The most common potential interaction category was a decreased concentration of the non-AED. CONCLUSION: Older AEDs were associated with a greater likelihood of a potential DDI than were newer AEDs. Further research is needed to elucidate the relationship between the occurrence of potential DDIs and actual clinically relevant consequences.

Impact of vision loss on costs and outcomes in medicare beneficiaries with glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of vision loss severity on costs and health outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries with glaucoma. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using Medicare claims. Patients were stratified into 4 categories: no vision loss, moderate vision loss, severe vision loss, and blindness. Outcomes of interest were mean annual medical costs by category, component costs, and frequency of depression, falls and/or accidents, injury, femur fracture, and nursing home placement. RESULTS: Multivariate regression analysis showed that patients with any degree of vision loss had 46.7% higher total costs compared with patients without vision loss. Mean total and component costs increased with onset and severity ($8157 for no vision loss to $18,670 for blindness). Patients with vision loss were significantly more likely to be placed in a nursing home (odds ratio = 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 2.06-2.31), develop depression (odds ratio = 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.54-1.73), fracture a femur (odds ratio = 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-2.83), or experience a fall or accident (odds ratio = 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.50-1.68) vs patients without vision loss. CONCLUSIONS: Vision loss in glaucoma is costly, and costs increase with severity. There is significantly increased risk of nursing home admission, depression, falls and/or accidents, injury, or femur fracture with vision loss compared with no vision loss.

Current management of glaucoma and the need for complete therapy.

Glaucoma is a long-term ocular neuropathy defined by optic disc or retinal nerve fiber structural abnormalities and visual field abnormality. Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma. Currently available treatments, initiated in a stepwise process, focus on intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction, and initially include topical drug therapy (single then multidrug combinations), followed by laser then surgical treatment. Topical prostaglandin analogues or beta-adrenergic receptor blockers are first used, followed by alpha-agonists or topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and infrequently, cholinergic agonists and oral therapy. Limitations to existing topical IOP-reducing medications include continued disease progression in glaucoma patients with normal IOP, treatment failure, and low rates of compliance and persistence. Therapeutic agents under investigation include neuroprotectants, which target the disease process manifested by death of retinal ganglion cells, axonal loss, and irreversible loss of vision. Neuroprotectants may be used alone or in combination with IOPreducing therapy (a treatment strategy called complete therapy). Memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blocker currently approved for dementia, is the neuroprotectant farthest along in the process seeking regulatory approval for glaucoma treatment and has a favorable safety profile because of its selective mechanism of action. Several other neuroprotectants are in early stage investigation. Complete therapy provides hope for improved outcomes by reducing the significant morbidity and economic consequences that occur as a result of neurodegeneration and disease progression.

Disease progression and the need for neuroprotection in glaucoma management.

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of worldwide blindness, is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by a loss of retinal ganglion cells and their axons beyond typical age-related baseline loss. Diagnosis is defined by optic disc and visual field changes, and the primary goal of glaucoma treatment is to preserve vision. Proven existing therapies (ie, pharmacotherapy, laser, and surgical) focus on reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP), although elevated IOP is no longer a diagnostic feature of glaucoma. New neuroprotectant drugs are being investigated, with the goal of reducing retinal ganglion cell loss, either prophylactically or after the insult has occurred. Various treatment strategies are being evaluated, and include a neuroprotectant only, or a complete therapy approach comprised of both a neuroprotectant supplemented by an IOP-lowering therapy. Dually targeted complete therapy may directly preserve the optic nerve, decrease the risk factors that cause glaucoma damage, and reduce glaucoma-related morbidities. Neuroprotectant therapy outcomes should include functional and structural effects of disease progression and neuroprotectant therapies, as well as patient functioning and economic impact.

Managed care and the impact of glaucoma.

Changes in the healthcare system, population demographics, and treatment alternatives have contributed to an emerging awareness of glaucoma among managed care organizations. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to thwarting the personal and economic consequences of end-stage glaucoma. Despite recognition of the need for early intervention and therapy, the literature suggests a great need still exists for improvements in lowering intraocular pressure, managing appropriate follow-up, and improving adherence to current glaucoma medication regimens. As the elderly population continues to increase, these issues will intensify and present further problems for the healthcare system. The purpose of this introductory manuscript is to highlight the literature on the clinical and economic impact of glaucoma and its importance to the managed care community. The remainder of the supplement will focus on the current management of glaucoma and the potential role of neuroprotection in this patient population.

Current landscape of insomnia in managed care.

Insomnia affects a large percentage of the population, particularly the elderly. Literature reports varying estimates of prevalence, a variation that relates to the lack of definition and consistency in diagnostic criteria. Primary insomnia (not caused by known physical/mental conditions) responds to pharmacologic therapy, while secondary insomnia(resulting from other illnesses, medications, or sleep disorders) responds to pharmacologic and psychologic treatments (cognitive therapy, relaxation techniques, stimulus control). Use of certain agents in the elderly and patients with abuse/addiction potential is a concern. Medicare Part D does not cover benzodiazepines (classified as controlled substances). Nonprescription agents are affordable but have sedation and anticholinergic side effects. Medication use should be considered a possible contributing factor. Insomnia patients experience significantly more limited activity and higher total health services than those without insomnia. Annual costs are between $92.5 billion and $107.5 billion. A standard definition and better pathways to recognize and treat insomnia are needed.

The state of insomnia and emerging trends.

Recent research into the pathophysiology of insomnia has brought a shift in the approach to treatment. Insomnia rarely occurs in isolation and is typically comorbid with other conditions. Rather than simply treating the primary disorder, whereby symptoms of insomnia may go unaddressed, now there is a push to acknowledge the existence of chronic insomnia as a disorder that itself merits treatment. This recognition is due to the identification of pathophysiologic changes and associated morbidity, which can be substantial. Insomnia patients have increased risk for psychiatric disorders, especially depression, anxiety, decreased quality of life, increased healthcare utilization and costs, drug/alcohol abuse, decreased occupational performance, and increased falls/accidents. Current management patterns explore non-nightly or discontinuous hypnotic treatment - non-nightly flexible, non-nightly semiflexible, non-nightly fixed, and flexible timing - which deviates from past trends of continuous dosing with hypnotics. These trends reflect a change from considering insomnia a symptom to treating insomnia as a disorder.

Circadian rhythmicity and the pharmacologic management of insomnia.

The circadian clock modulates timing of sleep and wakefulness. In certain situations, the circadian potentiation of wakefulness may interfere with desired sleep-scheduling, particularly in the elderly and shift workers. Known abnormalities of circadian regulation are defined by their impact on sleep-wake state expression. In delayed sleep phase syndrome, patients have trouble going to sleep and arising at reasonable hours and are alert in the evening and sleepy in the morning. Patients with advanced sleep phase syndrome are sleepy in the evening and awaken very early and alert in the morning. In shift-work sleep disorder, individuals attempt to wake and sleep out of phase with the circadian clock. As with jet lag, the clock is functioning normally, but the requirements on the clock are abnormal. Typical insomnia can also be associated with circadian rhythm alterations. Practice guidelines and clinical studies data are needed to lead appropriate therapy selection and effective management.

Chronic insomnia treatment and Medicare Part D: implications for managed care organizations.

The elderly population is of particular concern with regard to insomnia and managed care. Early intervention and management of insomnia as a chronic disease are recommended. Increased awareness of the negative clinical and economic consequences associated with not treating insomnia may serve to raise the perceived importance of having effective formulary options for this disease area. Because the elderly population is now covered by Medicare Part D, health plans previously without a Medicare drug benefit must now select and reimburse for sedative-hypnotics for the elderly. A review of the major Medicare Part D plans' formularies reveals they offer a limited number of sedative-hypnotic alternatives, but not all are available. Due to variable response, variation in comorbidities, drug and disease interactions, and individual patient needs, managed care organizations should cover a reasonable array of drugs. This is essential to optimally manage patients with chronic insomnia to reduce the long-term clinical morbidity and economic consequences.

Practice efficiency and economics: the case for rapid recovery sedation agents for colonoscopy in a screening population.

GOAL: To determine rapidly acting agents' impact on practice efficiency and cost for outpatient colonoscopy in a screening population. BACKGROUND: Propofol-mediated endoscopic sedation is popular due to rapid sedation onset and superior recovery profile compared with sedation with an opioid and benzodiazepine. There are few data on the impact of this type of sedation on the economics and efficiency of an endoscopy unit. STUDY: A provider-perspective economic model assessed the ability of propofol and fospropofol disodium (Aquavan, GPI 15715, MGI Pharma) to increase practice efficiency and determined break-even costs based on current colonoscopy reimbursement levels. Reimbursement inputs by practice setting, costs, and recovery profiles-taken from published literature examining time to discharge-were used to populate the model. To measure robustness of model results to changes in base case inputs, sensitivity analyses were performed. Using a Monte Carlo simulation, inputs were varied simultaneously and randomly for 1000 iterations to determine 95% confidence intervals (CI) for break-even costs. RESULTS: In the time to complete 1 colonoscopy with midazolam/meperidine, 1.76 colonoscopies can be completed with propofol and 1.91 colonoscopies can be completed with fospropofol disodium. This efficiency benefit produced a break-even cost for rapid recovery agents of $71.53 (95% CI: $38.39, $105.67) in a hospital outpatient clinic and $61.48 (95% CI: $41.33, $108.99) in an ambulatory surgical center. One-way sensitivity analyses indicated the break-even cost of these agents was most sensitive to operating costs and time to discharge ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid recovery agents for colonoscopy can improve practice efficiency and offer economic advantages over traditional sedation.