Cost saving analysis of specialized, eHealth-based management of patients receiving oral anticoagulation therapy:...

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Digital Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy requires careful management to prevent adverse events.
• Regular medical care (RMC) for OAC patients can incur significant healthcare costs.
• eHealth-based specialized care services offer potential for improved patient outcomes and cost-efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the cost-effectiveness of a specialized eHealth-based management service (CS) versus RMC for OAC patients.
• To evaluate hospitalization rates and associated costs in both management approaches.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 705 patients in the CS cohort and 1490 in the RMC cohort.
• Hospitalization costs were calculated using diagnosis-related groups (ICD-10, OPS).
• Costs included OAC-related events (bleeding, thromboembolism) and general management expenses (INR testing, personnel).

Main Results:

• Hospitalization rates were significantly lower in the CS cohort (23.4/100 py) compared to RMC (68.7/100 py).
• OAC-related admissions were markedly reduced in the CS group (2.8/100 py) versus RMC (13.3/100 py).
• Overall cost savings favored the CS, with 2368 EUR/py saved, driven by reduced hospitalization expenses.

Conclusions:

• The specialized eHealth management service for OAC patients leads to substantial cost savings.
• Reduced adverse events and hospitalizations are key drivers of cost-efficiency in telemedicine-based OAC management.
• Implementing specialized eHealth services can optimize resource allocation in anticoagulation care.