Cost-effectiveness of hip protector use on a geriatric ward in Germany: a Markov model

In this study, we determined the cost-effectiveness of hip protector use compared with no hip protector on a geriatric ward in Germany. From both the societal and the statutory health insurance (SHI) perspectives, the cost-effectiveness ratios for the provision of hip protectors were below 12,000/quality-adjusted life year (QALY) even if unrelated costs in added life years were included.

The aim of this study is to determine the cost-effectiveness of the provision of hip protectors compared with no hip protectors on a geriatric ward in Germany.

A lifetime decision-analytic Markov model was developed. Costs were measured from the societal and from the statutory health insurance (SHI) perspectives and comprised direct medical, non-medical and unrelated costs in additional life years gained. Health outcomes were measured in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). To reflect several levels of uncertainty, first- and second-order Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) approaches were applied.

Hip protector use compared with no hip protector results in savings (costs, -5.1/QALYs, 0.003) for the societal perspective. For the SHI perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 4416 /QALY (costs, +13.4). If unrelated costs in life years gained were included, the cost-effectiveness ratio increases to 9794/QALY for the societal perspective and to 11,426/QALY for the SHI perspective. In the MCS, for the societal perspective without unrelated costs, 47 % of simulations indicated hip protectors to be cost saving (i.e. lower costs and higher effects).

Although the gain in QALYs due to the provision of providing hip protectors to patients on geriatric wards is small, all scenarios showed acceptable cost-effectiveness ratios or even savings.