Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
Modeling the cost-effectiveness of health care systems for alcohol use disorders: how implementation of eHealth
Filip Smit1, Joran Lokkerbol, Heleen Riper
1Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Centre of Prevention and Brief Intervention, Utrecht, Netherlands. fsmit@trimbos.nl
Background:
Informing policy decisions about the cost-effectiveness of health care systems (ie, packages of clinical interventions) is probably best done using a modeling approach. To this end, an alcohol model (ALCMOD) was developed.
Objective:
The aim of ALCMOD is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of competing health care systems in curbing alcohol use at the national level. This is illustrated for scenarios where new eHealth technologies for alcohol use disorders are introduced in the Dutch health care system.
Method:
ALCMOD assesses short-term (12-month) incremental cost-effectiveness in terms of reductions in disease burden, that is, disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and health care budget impacts.
Results:
Introduction of new eHealth technologies would substantially increase the cost-effectiveness of the Dutch health care system for alcohol use disorders: every euro spent under the current system returns a value of about the same size (€1.08, ie, a "surplus" of 8 euro cents) while the new health care system offers much better returns on investment, that is, every euro spent generates €1.62 in health-related value.
Conclusion:
Based on the best available evidence, ALCMOD's computations suggest that implementation of new eHealth technologies would make the Dutch health care system more cost-effective. This type of information may help (1) to identify opportunities for system innovation, (2) to set agendas for further research, and (3) to inform policy decisions about resource allocation.
Related Concept Videos
Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include:
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...
Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is limited...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
