PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 694, p3-4 - 18 Jan 2014 Breast cancer survivorship care plan not cost effective in Canada A survivorship care plan (SCP) for breast cancer survivors in Canada, is not cost effective compared with usual care, according to a study published in the Journal of Oncology Practice. This study, done from both a healthcare system and societal perspective, used data from a published randomised clinical trial that compared SCP with usual care in 408 patients. SCP consisted of a package with a treatment summary, a patient-version of follow-up guidelines, and information about local relevant supportive care resources. The trial did not find any significant difference in outcomes between the two groups. For the current analysis, the Short Form 36 general health status questionnaire was administered at baseline, and at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, while utility values were derived using nonparametric Bayesian preference weights. Costs, reported in 2011 Canadian dollars, included physician visits, diagnostic and laboratory tests, patient travel costs and lost productivity, and additional costs associated with the SCP. The cost of the SCP was estimated at $Can59.96 per patient. Although there was little difference in the costs of physician visits, diagnostic and laboratory tests, patient travel costs and lost productivity between groups, inclusion of the cost of the SCP resulted in higher total costs for patients in the SCP group ($765 vs $695). Similarly, little difference was found between the two groups in QALY changes from baseline – 1.42 for usual care and 1.41 for SCP, suggesting that standard care was more cost effective than SCP. With an estimated annual cost of $1.4 million, implementation of the SCP is thus not recommended, while the authors suggest that greater effectiveness might be achieved through better identification of patients with greater needs, using a needs-based stratified approach. Coyle D, et al. Cost Effectiveness of a Survivorship Care Plan for Breast Cancer Survivors. Journal of Oncology Practice : 10 Dec 2013. Available from: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/JOP.2013.001142 803097455 1 PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 18 Jan 2014 No. 694 1173-5503/14/0694-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2014 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved

Breast cancer survivorship care plan not cost effective in Canada

Download PDF Report

Upload
koji
View
215
Download
1

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Breast cancer survivorship care plan not cost effective in Canada

PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 694, p3-4 - 18 Jan 2014

Breast cancer survivorship careplan not cost effective in CanadaA survivorship care plan (SCP) for breast cancer

survivors in Canada, is not cost effective compared withusual care, according to a study published in the Journalof Oncology Practice.

This study, done from both a healthcare system andsocietal perspective, used data from a publishedrandomised clinical trial that compared SCP with usualcare in 408 patients. SCP consisted of a package with atreatment summary, a patient-version of follow-upguidelines, and information about local relevantsupportive care resources. The trial did not find anysignificant difference in outcomes between the twogroups. For the current analysis, the Short Form 36general health status questionnaire was administered atbaseline, and at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, while utilityvalues were derived using nonparametric Bayesianpreference weights. Costs, reported in 2011 Canadiandollars, included physician visits, diagnostic andlaboratory tests, patient travel costs and lostproductivity, and additional costs associated with theSCP. The cost of the SCP was estimated at $Can59.96per patient.

Although there was little difference in the costs ofphysician visits, diagnostic and laboratory tests, patienttravel costs and lost productivity between groups,inclusion of the cost of the SCP resulted in higher totalcosts for patients in the SCP group ($765 vs $695).Similarly, little difference was found between the twogroups in QALY changes from baseline – 1.42 for usualcare and 1.41 for SCP, suggesting that standard care wasmore cost effective than SCP.

With an estimated annual cost of $1.4 million,implementation of the SCP is thus not recommended,while the authors suggest that greater effectivenessmight be achieved through better identification ofpatients with greater needs, using a needs-basedstratified approach.Coyle D, et al. Cost Effectiveness of a Survivorship Care Plan for Breast CancerSurvivors. Journal of Oncology Practice : 10 Dec 2013. Available from: URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/JOP.2013.001142 803097455