Costing Urologic Complications Following Pelvic Radiation Therapy

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Radiation Oncology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Pelvic radiation therapy can cause significant urologic complications.
• These complications necessitate specialized medical and surgical interventions.
• Understanding the resource utilization and financial burden is crucial for healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize patients with urologic complications post-pelvic radiation.
• To estimate the financial costs associated with treating these complications.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of urology admissions for specific diagnoses (strictures, cystitis, hematuria) following radiotherapy.
• Utilized Independent Hospital Pricing Authority data for cost estimation (National Weighted Activity Unit 2018).
• Obtained ethics approval from HNELHD HREC.

Main Results:

• 65 admissions (53 patients) for radiotherapy-related urologic complications, representing 3.7% of total urology admissions.
• Patients averaged 7 years post-radiotherapy, underwent a mean of 3 operations, and had higher readmission rates (1.9/year vs. 1.3/year).
• Total estimated cost of care was AUD $1,401,591, with an average cost of $25,900 per patient.

Conclusions:

• Urologic complications following pelvic radiation therapy significantly increase patient resource consumption and healthcare expenditure.
• These patients require more hospital days, operations, and have higher readmission rates compared to general urology patients.
• The financial impact underscores the need for effective management and potential preventative strategies for radiation-induced urologic morbidity.