Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38557914›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

An economic evaluation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clinical pathway in Saskatchewan, Canada: Data-driven techniques to identify cost-effectiveness among patient subgroups.

John Paul Kuwornu, Fernando Maldonado, Gary Groot, Elizabeth J Cooper, Erika Penz, Leland Sommer, Amy Reid, Darcy D Marciniuk

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

John Paul KuwornuAustralian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2033-3374
Fernando MaldonadoHealth Quality Council, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Gary GrootCommunity Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Elizabeth J CooperKinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Erika PenzRespirology, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, The Respiratory Research Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2610-8450
Leland SommerStewardship and Clinical Appropriateness, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Amy ReidClinical Integration Unit, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Darcy D MarciniukRespirology, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, The Respiratory Research Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSaskatchewan has implemented care pathways for several common health conditions. To date, there has not been any cost-effectiveness evaluation of care pathways in the province. The objective of this study was to evaluate the real-world cost-effectiveness of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care pathway program in Saskatchewan.

methodsUsing patient-level administrative health data, we identified adults (35+ years) with COPD diagnosis recruited into the care pathway program in Regina between April 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019 (N = 759). The control group comprised adults (35+ years) with COPD who lived in Saskatoon during the same period (N = 759). The control group was matched to the intervention group using propensity scores. Costs were calculated at the patient level. The outcome measure was the number of days patients remained without experiencing COPD exacerbation within 1-year follow-up. Both manual and data-driven policy learning approaches were used to assess heterogeneity in the cost-effectiveness by patient demographic and disease characteristics. Bootstrapping was used to quantify uncertainty in the results.

resultsIn the overall sample, the estimates indicate that the COPD care pathway was not cost-effective using the willingness to pay (WTP) threshold values in the range of $1,000 and $5,000/exacerbation day averted. The manual subgroup analyses show the COPD care pathway was dominant among patients with comorbidities and among patients aged 65 years or younger at the WTP threshold of $2000/exacerbation day averted. Although similar profiles as those identified in the manual subgroup analyses were confirmed, the data-driven policy learning approach suggests more nuanced demographic and disease profiles that the care pathway would be most appropriate for.

conclusionsBoth manual subgroup analysis and data-driven policy learning approach showed that the COPD care pathway consistently produced cost savings and better health outcomes among patients with comorbidities or among those relatively younger. The care pathway was not cost-effective in the entire sample.

Indexed as

Critical PathwaysPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveAdultCost-Benefit AnalysisHumansQuality of LifeSaskatchewan

Identifiers

PMID38557914
PMCPMC10984414

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.