ArticleBMJ open2014
A 6-year comparative economic evaluation of healthcare costs and mortality rates of Dutch patients from conventional and CAM GPs.
Article in BMJ open, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Predictors of the intention to use integrative medicine in psychiatric hospitals.Integrative medicine research · 2025Article
- A scoping review of the barriers and facilitators in the use of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine: insights for health policy development.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2025Article
- Review
- Cost analysis in a Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine unit in Brazil.Revista de saude publica · 2020Article
- Integrative Pediatrics: Successful Implementation of Integrative Medicine in a German Hospital Setting-Concept and Realization.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2018Article
- Whole Medical Systems versus the System of Conventional Biomedicine: A Critical, Narrative Review of Similarities, Differences, and Factors That Promote the Integration Process.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2017Review
- A retrospective cost-analysis of additional homeopathic treatment in Germany: Long-term economic outcomes.PloS one · 2017Article
- Differences between Practice Patterns of Conventional and Naturopathic GPs in Germany.PloS one · 2016Article
- Can Additional Homeopathic Treatment Save Costs? A Retrospective Cost-Analysis Based on 44500 Insured Persons.PloS one · 2015Article
- Resistance to Antibiotics and Antifungal Medicinal Products: Can Complementary and Alternative Medicine Help Solve the Problem in Common Infection Diseases? The Introduction of a Dutch Research Consortium.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2015Review
- A Retrospective Analysis of Patients' Conditions Using Acupuncture in a Traditional Korean Medicine Hospital.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo compare healthcare costs and mortality rates of Dutch patients with a conventional (CON) general practitioner (GP) and patients with a GP who has additionally completed training in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
designComparative economic evaluation.
settingDatabase from the Dutch insurance company Agis.
participants1,521,773 patients (98.8%) from a CON practice and 18,862 patients (1.2%) from a CAM practice.
main outcome measuresAnnual information on five types of healthcare costs for the years 2006-2011: care by GP, hospital care, pharmaceutical care, paramedic care and care covered by supplementary insurance. Healthcare costs in the last year of life. Mortality rates.
resultsThe mean annual compulsory and supplementary healthcare costs of CON patients are respectively €1821 (95% CI 1813 to 1828) and €75.3 (95% CI 75.1 to 75.5). Compulsory healthcare costs of CAM patients are €225 (95% CI 169 to 281; p<0.001; 12.4%) lower and result mainly from lower hospital care costs (€165; 95% CI 118 to 212; p<0.001) and lower pharmaceutical care costs (€58; 95% CI 41 to 75; p<0.001), especially in the age categories 25-49 and 50-74 years. The costs in the last year of life of patients with CAM, GPs are €1161 (95% CI -138 to 2461; p<0.1) lower. This difference is entirely due to lower hospital costs (€1250; 95% CI 19 to 2481; p<0.05). The mean annual supplementary costs of CAM patients are €33 (95% CI 30 to 37; p<0.001; 44%) higher. CAM patients do not have lower or higher mortality rates than CON patients.
conclusionsDutch patients whose GP additionally completed training in CAM on average have €192 (10.1%) lower annual total compulsory and supplementary healthcare costs and do not live longer or shorter than CON patients.
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