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Direct healthcare costs of glaucoma treatment
M Q Rahman1, S M Beard, R Discombe
1Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK.
Insights
The lifetime cost of glaucoma treatment averaged £3001 per patient, with non-drug expenses comprising the majority. Understanding these direct healthcare costs is crucial for managing glaucoma care.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
- Direct healthcare costs associated with glaucoma management are significant but not fully quantified over a patient's lifetime.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the complete lifetime direct healthcare costs of glaucoma treatment.
- To analyze the components of these costs, including drug and non-drug expenditures.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patient data from the Glaucoma Clinic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
- Inclusion of patients who initiated treatment and died of natural causes.
- Calculation of direct National Health Service costs, encompassing drug and non-drug (inpatient, outpatient, surgical) expenses.
Main Results:
- 106 patients with complete lifetime treatment data were analyzed.
- The mean lifetime cost of glaucoma treatment was £3001 per patient (annual mean £475).
- Non-drug costs accounted for 66% and drug costs for 34% of the total lifetime expenditure.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first direct assessment of lifetime glaucoma treatment costs.
- Findings highlight the substantial financial burden of glaucoma care.
- Increased awareness of these costs is vital, particularly in resource-constrained healthcare environments.
Aims:
To report the complete lifetime direct healthcare costs of glaucoma treatment in a database of 1136 patients attending the Glaucoma Clinic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
Method:
The database was interrogated to identify all patients who had initiated treatment at the Glaucoma Clinic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and who had subsequently died of natural causes. The healthcare resource use based cost assessment was based on two aspects of the direct National Health Service cost: drug costs (prescribed medications) and non-drug costs (inpatient or outpatient/and surgical or procedure costs).
Results:
106 patients (53 men, 53 women) were identified for whom there were lifetime treatment data. The mean lifespan of the patients was 80.5 years, and the mean number of years attending the glaucoma clinic was 7.05 years (range 1-22 years). The mean cost of glaucoma treatment over the lifetime of the patients was £3001, with an annual mean cost per patient of £475. Non-drug and drug costs made up 66% and 34% respectively, of the lifetime costs.
Conclusions:
This is the only study to directly assess the lifetime treatment costs of glaucoma. Awareness of the costs of glaucoma treatment may be of increased importance in these financially challenging times.
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