Cost Analysis of a Digital Multimodal Cancer Prehabilitation

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Services Research
• Digital Health

Background:

• Prehabilitation programs enhance physical and psychological well-being in cancer patients awaiting treatment.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to digital formats for vulnerable cancer patient populations.
• The Kent and Medway Prehabilitation service transitioned to a TeleHealth model to mitigate pandemic-related risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a digital, multimodal prehabilitation program on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
• To assess the associated costs of this digital prehabilitation service.
• To compare outcomes across varying levels of prehabilitation program participation.

Main Methods:

• Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using the EQ-5D questionnaire.
• Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated based on HRQoL data.
• Costs associated with the prehabilitation service and inpatient care were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A 23% increase in mean HRQoL was observed, rising from 69.53 at baseline to 85.71 post-rehabilitation in a sample of 192 individuals.
• Each additional week of prehabilitation care was predicted to increase total QALYs by 0.02, holding baseline utility constant.
• The study included 192 individuals, demonstrating significant improvements in patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Prehabilitation is linked to enhanced HRQoL and QALYs in cancer patients.
• A digital, multimodal prehabilitation program model can yield patient benefits and reduce healthcare costs.
• Positive outcomes and cost benefits were observed even with partial program attendance.