Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39815647›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of technology assessment in health care2025

A decision-analytic method to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of remote monitoring technology for chronic depression.

Xiaonan Sun, Lawrence Wissow, Shan Liu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of technology assessment in health care, 2025. 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

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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
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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

3 authors.

Xiaonan SunDepartment of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3589-9100
Lawrence WissowDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2019-7472
Shan LiuDepartment of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAdvances in mobile apps, remote sensing, and big data have enabled remote monitoring of mental health conditions, but the cost-effectiveness is unknown. This study proposed a systematic framework integrating computational tools and decision-analytic modeling to assess cost-effectiveness and guide emerging monitoring technologies development.

methodsUsing a novel decision-analytic Markov-cohort model, we simulated chronic depression patients' disease progression over 2 years, allowing treatment modifications at follow-up visits. The cost-effectiveness, from a payer's viewpoint, of five monitoring strategies was evaluated for patients in low-, medium-, and high-risk groups: (i) remote monitoring technology scheduling follow-up visits upon detecting treatment change necessity; (ii) rule-based follow-up strategy assigning the next follow-up based on the patient's current health state; and (iii-v) fixed frequency follow-up at two-month, four-month, and six-month intervals. Health outcomes (effects) were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs).

resultsBase case results showed that remote monitoring technology is cost-effective in the three risk groups under a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of U.S. GDP per capita in year 2023. Full scenario analyses showed that, compared to rule-based follow-up, remote technology is 74 percent, 67 percent, and 74 percent cost-effective in the high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk groups, respectively, and it is cost-effective especially if the treatment is effective and if remote monitoring is highly sensitive and specific.

conclusionsRemote monitoring for chronic depression proves cost-effective and potentially cost-saving in the majority of simulated scenarios. This framework can assess emerging remote monitoring technologies and identify requirements for the technologies to be cost-effective in psychiatric and chronic care delivery.

Indexed as

Decision Support TechniquesDepressionRemote Sensing TechnologyTelemedicineChronic DiseaseCost-Benefit AnalysisHumansMarkov ChainsQuality-Adjusted Life YearsTechnology Assessment, Biomedicalcomputer technologycost-effectiveness analysisdepressionoutpatient treatmenttreatment assessment and planning

Identifiers

PMID39815647
PMCPMC11811955

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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.