Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42811936›Full record

ArticleThe Medical journal of Australia2026

Costs of Delivering the Hep B PAST Model of Care in Remote Australia: A Retrospective Pre-Post Study.

Hoa Nguyen, Anh Le Tuan Nguyen, Paula Binks, Melita McKinnon, Emily Vintour-Cesar, Karen Wills, Nicola Stephens, Benjamin Cowie, Joshua S Davis, Yuejen Zhao and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Medical journal of Australia, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

15 authors.

Hoa NguyenMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1705-8036
Anh Le Tuan NguyenMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Paula BinksGlobal and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4844-9408
Melita McKinnonGlobal and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia.
Emily Vintour-CesarGlobal and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia.
Karen WillsMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Nicola StephensMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7952-4581
Benjamin CowieWHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7087-5895
Joshua S DavisNorthern Territory Department of Health, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9864-5699
Yuejen ZhaoNorthern Territory Department of Health, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Peter NihillNorthern Territory Department of Health, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Julie A CampbellMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Andrew J PalmerMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Jane DaviesGlobal and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Tiwi, Northern Territory, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3843-837X
Barbara de GraaffMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council Ideas GNT1151837
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo estimate the direct medical costs of the Hep B Partnership Program (Hep B PAST) model of care compared with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) usual care from the health system perspective (Northern Territory (NT) Department of Health and the Commonwealth). STUDY TYPE: Retrospective cohort study (2014-2023) that linked primary care with inpatient, emergency, outpatient and outreach datasets. Costs were applied using National Weighted Activity Units, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and NT Government costings. A pre- and post-implementation design from a health system perspective was applied, with costs in 2023 Australian dollars.

settingRemote communities in the NT, Australia.

participantsThe cohort included all First Nations people living with CHB who were attending a clinic in a remote community that had consented to the Hep B PAST program, and who received care between 1 July 2014 and 31 May 2023.

main outcome measuresAnnual mean and median healthcare costs per contact and per individual across service types, with comparisons of annual mean costs per individual between pre- and post-Hep B PAST using partially overlapping t-tests.

resultsAmong 1063 First Nations individuals with CHB, annual median costs per individual were similar for usual care ($639 [interquartile range, $366-1156]) and Hep B PAST ($770 [interquartile range, $400-1272]); mean costs were also similar for usual care versus Hep B PAST ($1701 vs. $1970; p = 0.12). By service type, annual median costs were similar for inpatient services ($7777 vs. $7795), primary care ($327 vs. $302) and outpatient visits ($1985 vs. $1858), and higher for Hep B PAST for emergency services ($1339 vs. $1672) and outreach care ($373 vs. $746).

conclusionsIn remote First Nations communities, Hep B PAST was delivered with a modest increase in direct medical costs compared with usual care. These findings can be used to inform future cost-effective evaluations. Future cost savings from decreased hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure were not included.

Indexed as

Health Care CostsHealth Services, IndigenousHepatitis B, ChronicPrimary Health CareAdultAustraliaCost-Benefit AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleNorthern TerritoryRetrospective Studiescost–benefit analysisdelivery of healthcarehepatitis Bindigenous health

Identifiers

PMID42811936
PMCPMC13624689

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.