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Cost-minimization analysis of the U.S. Army accession screening and immunization program
Jeff Tzeng1, Christopher Jankosky, Hayley Hughes
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Room A1040, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4712, USA.
Military Medicine
|February 13, 2013
Summary
The Accession Screening and Immunization Program (ASIP) saved over $400,000 annually compared to universal vaccination for Army recruits. This targeted approach enhances force health protection and optimizes resource allocation for military public health.
Area of Science:
- Military Public Health
- Vaccinology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Army resources are significantly allocated to identify nonimmune recruits for vaccinations against hepatitis A, B, measles, rubella, and varicella.
- A cost-minimization analysis is crucial for informing public health policy decisions regarding force health protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a cost-minimization analysis comparing the Accession Screening and Immunization Program (ASIP) with the previous universal vaccination program.
- To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of targeted vaccination strategies for military recruits.
Main Methods:
- Serological immunity data from 41,146 Army basic training recruits were analyzed.
- Vaccination, serology, and associated direct/indirect costs were determined using official schedules and local data.
- TreeAge Pro 2009 software was employed for the cost-minimization analysis.
Main Results:
- The universal vaccination program incurred cumulative annual costs of $1,504,587.
- The ASIP resulted in cumulative annual costs of $1,094,025.
- An annual cost-savings of $410,561 was identified at the Fort Leonard Wood basic training site.
Conclusions:
- The ASIP demonstrated significant annual cost-savings of over $400,000 compared to universal vaccination.
- The findings confirm the cost-saving benefits theorized for the implementation of the ASIP.
- The ASIP is a cost-effective strategy for enhancing force health protection in military recruits.
