Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026
E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Burden of irritable bowel syndrome in an increasingly cost-aware National Health Service
Anet Soubieres1, Patrick Wilson1, Andrew Poullis1
1St George's Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK.
Insights
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) management costs the NHS millions, with significant spending on primary care prescriptions and hospital visits. Improved clinical coding is essential for accurate assessment and optimal patient care.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Gastroenterology
- Public Health
Background:
- The National Health Service (NHS) faces increasing cost pressures, necessitating efficient resource utilization.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) significantly burdens the NHS, affecting an estimated 12% of the UK population.
- Poor clinical coding hinders accurate assessment of the economic impact of IBS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify primary care prescribing costs associated with IBS management in England.
- To determine hospital outpatient and admission costs linked to IBS care in England.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data (2012-2013) to calculate IBS tariff costs.
- Examination of Prescribing Analysis and Cost Tabulation (PACT) data for primary care costs.
Main Results:
- In 2012-2013, IBS-specific codes accounted for £812,596 in tariff costs, while IBS-related symptom codes cost £11,002,874.
- Primary care spending on laxatives and antispasmodics for IBS reached £44,977,959 and £25,582,752, respectively.
- Nearly 50% of lower gastrointestinal endoscopies showed no follow-up in secondary care within 12 months.
Conclusions:
- Accurate assessment of IBS burden requires improved clinical coding and standardized diagnostic criteria.
- Enhanced diagnostic practices are crucial for optimizing IBS management within the NHS.
- Addressing coding deficiencies will enable better resource allocation for IBS patient care.
Background:
The National Health Service (NHS) is faced with increasing cost pressures that make the efficient use of resources paramount. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) places a large burden on the NHS as it has been estimated that at least 12% of the UK population is affected. However, poor clinical coding makes accurate assessment of this burden challenging.
Objective:
To calculate primary-care prescribing and both hospital outpatient and admission costs associated with the management of IBS in England.
Design And Main Outcome Measures:
Hospital Episode Statistics data for 2012-2013 for all clinical commissioning groups in England were analysed to calculate the tariff cost of IBS. Prescribing analysis and cost tabulation (PACT) data for this period were also analysed.
Results:
In 2012-2013, there were 1 219 961 outpatient attendances in gastroenterology and colorectal surgery specialties. Despite this, only 1982 patients were recorded with IBS-specific codes, with a total estimated tariff cost of £812 336. In addition, 28 849 patients were recorded with IBS-related symptom codes at a cost of £11 002 874. In 2011-2012, there were 658 698 diagnostic lower gastrointestinal endoscopies at a tariff cost of £16 967 670 4. Of these, 323 752 (49%) had no further follow-up in secondary care over the subsequent 12 months. PACT data indicated that £44 977 959 and £25 582 752, respectively, were spent on selected laxatives and antispasmodics commonly used to treat IBS in primary care.
Conclusions:
Better diagnosing, through improved clinical coding and standardisation of diagnostic criteria, is required to more accurately assess the true burden and allow optimal management of IBS.
More Related Videos
10:37Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
05:08A TNBS-Induced Rodent Model to Study the Pathogenic Role of Mechanical Stress in Crohn's Disease
Published on: March 1, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
01:17Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:17Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...
01:21Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS