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Rapid Point-of-Care Assay of Enoxaparin Anticoagulant Efficacy in Whole Blood
11:17

Rapid Point-of-Care Assay of Enoxaparin Anticoagulant Efficacy in Whole Blood

Published on: October 12, 2012

A multinational investigation of time and traveling costs in attending anticoagulation clinics

Sue Jowett1, Stirling Bryan, Isabelle Mahé

  • 1Health Economics Facility, Health Services Management Center, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. s.jowett@bham.ac.uk

Value in Health : the Journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research
|April 3, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Patients face significant time and travel expenses for anticoagulation clinic visits, impacting both personal finances and societal costs. These economic burdens vary substantially by country, highlighting the need for a comprehensive cost analysis.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacoeconomics
  • Health Services Research
  • Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

  • Anticoagulation therapy, essential for atrial fibrillation patients to prevent ischemic stroke, necessitates regular monitoring and dose adjustments.
  • Attending anticoagulation clinics involves patient time and travel, contributing to overall healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the patient-incurred time and travel expenses associated with attending anticoagulation clinics.
  • To assess the societal costs related to these clinic visits.

Main Methods:

  • A questionnaire survey was administered to patients on warfarin therapy across primary and secondary care clinics in Australia, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
  • Data collected included transport methods, travel expenses, time spent at clinics, and impact on employment.
  • Cost calculations considered patient expenses and the value of lost working and leisure time, including companion time.

Main Results:

  • Analysis of 381 patient questionnaires revealed significant variation in mean patient costs per visit, ranging from €6.9 in France to €20.5 in Portugal.
  • Time costs, representing lost working and leisure time, constituted the primary cost driver in most participating countries.
  • Mean societal time costs per visit ranged from €5.6 in France to €31.7 in Portugal.

Conclusions:

  • Patients incur substantial economic costs when attending anticoagulation clinics, with considerable international variation.
  • These findings underscore the importance of a broad economic perspective in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of anticoagulation treatments like warfarin.
Abstract

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