How to Assess Health Gains.

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Public Health
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Rising life expectancy and evolving chronic disease patterns necessitate improved population health status assessment.
• Evaluating health gains is critical for modern health systems facing resource limitations and increasing service demand.
• This study focuses on assessing health gains and associated costs using data from a private Italian clinic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess health gains and their associated costs in patients undergoing short-term planned hospitalization.
• To perform a cost-utility analysis based on Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and hospitalization expenses.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 129 patients admitted between June 2020 and August 2023.
• Utilized the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire at admission and discharge to estimate QALYs.
• Conducted cost-utility analysis using QALY values and hospitalization costs; data analyzed with STATA SE/14.0.

Main Results:

• Median QALY gain was 0.33, higher in males (0.35) and non-geriatric patients (0.41).
• Longer length of stay correlated with higher QALY gain (0.35 vs 0.23).
• Median cost per QALY gained was EUR 14,337, lower for males, non-geriatric patients, and shorter stays.

Conclusions:

• While QALY gains varied across patient groups, the cost per QALY remained relatively consistent.
• Results underscore the need for targeted interventions to optimize healthcare resource allocation.
• A multidisciplinary approach and data integration into allocation strategies are recommended.