Articles tagged with Health Care Costs
Doubling breastfeeding duration for 7-18 months can save the NHS at least £31 million, while doubling neonatal unit breastfeeding rates saves an extra £6 million. Helping existing mothers extend breastfeeding periods is key to achieving these cost savings.
A RAND Corporation review found that few health information exchanges have been evaluated, despite significant investments. The relatively few examined exchanges show some evidence of reducing emergency department costs and usage, but outcomes are unknown.
Researchers estimate that universal preconception care for pregnant women with diabetes can avert an estimated $5.5 billion in health expenditures and lost employment productivity over their children's lifetimes. Effective care could also help mitigate significant complications such as preterm deliveries, birth defects, and perinatal d...
A study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health estimates that obesity-attributable absenteeism among US workers costs the nation more than $8 billion annually, with state-level costs ranging from $14.4 million in Wisconsin to $907 million in California.
A new study reveals a 48% increase in direct and indirect costs associated with diabetes over five years, with prediabetes costs rising 74% and undiagnosed diabetes costs increasing 82%. The growing burden of prediabetes highlights the need for prevention and early intervention.
A new report from the University of Washington shows that Washington families must spend 46% more on average to make ends meet today than 13 years ago. The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Washington State 2014 found that median wages increased just 21 percent during that time, while costs jumped as much as 72 percent.
Children who receive a heart transplant quickly are predicted to have better quality-adjusted survival rates, even if they have antibodies that may attack the new heart. Transplanting with the first suitable heart is also cheaper than waiting for a better-matched organ.
A Rutgers study reveals that 75 percent of patients with at least four hospital stays between 2008-2011 were diagnosed with one or more behavioral health conditions. The study also found that 40 percent of preventable inpatient hospitalizations were associated with behavioral health conditions.
The Affordable Care Act has led to improved health care access for Kentucky's lowest-income residents, with 413,000 people gaining medical coverage. Residents are now able to seek non-urgent medical attention and receive guideline-based care, reducing financial stress.
Researchers studied 30,670 patients undergoing heart surgery across 27 hospitals and found that the lowest-cost hospitals had significantly lower mortality rates, shorter lengths of stay, and fewer post-operative complications. These findings suggest that initiatives improving quality of care may also reduce costs for this population.
A randomized clinical trial found that perineal self-acupressure helped participants break up hard stools, relax muscles, and stimulate nerves responsible for bowel movements. 72% of patients reported improvement in their constipation symptoms after performing the technique for four weeks.
Physicians urge policy-makers to address care gaps due to misalignment of reimbursement policies and clinical guidelines. Newer blood-thinning agents like DOACs are safer and more effective than traditional warfarin, yet government funders restrict access.
A recent study forecasts the immense economic cost of osteoporotic fractures in China, expected to double by 2035 and reach $25.58 billion by 2050 due to an aging population.
A study found that Medicare patients with poor-prognosis cancers who received hospice care had significantly lower rates of hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and invasive procedures at the end of life. Hospice beneficiaries also had lower health care expenditures during the last year of life.
The number of Alzheimer's patients is expected to more than double in 40 years, while annual per-person costs will nearly quintuple from $71,000 in 2010. Delaying onset can reduce the prevalence and costs of the disease.
Researchers develop two swallowing techniques to ease pill swallowing in patients with and without difficulties. Continuity of care is associated with reduced mortality, morbidity, and healthcare expenses in patients with chronic conditions.
A new study recommends five steps for businesses and Americans to benefit from workplace disease prevention programs. The program could positively influence the health of 155 million working-age Americans while financially benefiting their employers by reducing healthcare costs.
A study by a University of Kansas professor found that black and Hispanic children were significantly underrepresented in autism identification rates from 2000 to 2007, despite the overall increase in diagnoses. This disparity may reflect unequal access to services and diagnosis, with white students receiving more intensive supports.
A new analysis of NLST results concludes that CT lung screening is cost-effective in aging smokers, but its implementation will depend on various factors. The ratio of costs per quality-adjusted life-year added was $81,000, below the $100,000 threshold.
Researchers found that proton therapy costs comparable to traditional radiation therapies, challenging the assumption that it's more expensive. The study suggests that insurance coverage should be considered, enabling patients to participate in clinical research.
According to a WSU study, nearly one in five US adults suffer from persistent pain, with significant economic and social costs. Persistent pain affects daily life, work, family, and social interactions, increasing the risk of mental illness and addiction.
A Johns Hopkins study finds that US operating rooms discard an estimated $15 million annually in usable surgical supplies, which can be salvaged and donated to alleviate global shortages. These donations can also reduce waste and environmental impact at home.
A new RAND Corporation study estimates that informal caregiving for elderly people in the US comes to $522 billion a year. Replacing this care with paid options would cost $221 billion or $642 billion annually.
A new study by University of California, Berkeley researchers found that hospital acquisitions and consolidations increase patient costs in California. The study analyzed data from four years and found that per-patient expenditures were higher for physician groups in multi-hospital systems compared to those owned by physicians.
A cost-value review of specialty versus traditional drugs found that specialty drugs offered greater gains for patients despite higher costs. Specialty drug coupons helped reduce patient out-of-pocket costs but may decrease insurers' ability to manage drugs.
A new study by RAND Corporation found that strengthening medical malpractice laws did not lead to lower costs of care in emergency rooms. Despite increased protection from lawsuits, physicians continued to order unnecessary tests and hospitalize patients more frequently.
A new study by the University of California, San Francisco reveals that smoking in California costs $18.1 billion annually, with a majority of smokers being 'light' users who abstain on certain days. The study found that smoking-attributable deaths were 17 times higher than those from AIDS and five times higher than those from diabetes.
Researchers estimate that vaccinating babies against meningitis B disease could reduce cases by 26% in the first five years. The maximum reduction would be achieved by combining infant vaccination with an adolescent vaccination at 13-years-old.
A new study found that overuse of cardiac stress testing with imaging in the US leads to unnecessary radiation exposure, healthcare costs, and potential cancer risk. The researchers estimated that at least 34.6% of tests were probably inappropriate, resulting in $501 million annual costs and 491 future cases of cancer.
Researchers found that universal MRSA screening and isolation can prevent nearly three hospital-acquired MRSA infections but come with a high cost. Targeted screenings for high-risk patients also showed limited success in preventing infections while resulting in financial losses.
A new study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene estimates that India has nearly 6 million annual clinically diagnosed dengue cases, far exceeding official reported numbers. The disease inflicts a significant economic burden on the country, totaling US$1.11 billion annually.
A survey of hospital leaders found that most hospitals report incorporating publicly reported quality measures into their quality improvement efforts, but express concerns about the clinical meaningfulness of these measures. Despite this, hospitals overwhelmingly agree that public reporting stimulates quality improvement activity, with...
A new article published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements explores a potential cost-benefit analysis tool that shows daily use of certain dietary supplements, specifically omega-3 fatty acid or B vitamin supplements, can result in reduced odds of experiencing costly medical events. According to the study, high-risk adults over 55 w...
A new study found that high-risk individuals screened for early-stage lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can reduce treatment costs by up to 85%, resulting in a significant reduction in mortality rates and improved patient outcomes. The average cost per-person for LDCT screening was $453, while the mean cost for diag...
A study published in Population Health Management found that an Emergency Room Decision-Support (ERDS) program can significantly reduce ER visits and hospital admissions among older adults on Medicare. By improving care coordination, the program saved $1.24 in healthcare costs for every dollar invested.
A new study found that imaging can be a cost-effective way to identify people at risk for stroke and help sort patients into invasive or less invasive options. The study used transcranial Doppler sonography to assess cerebrovascular reserve in asymptomatic individuals with carotid artery stenosis.
Researchers found that radiation oncologists are using fewer or less-aggressive radiation procedures on elderly women with early-stage breast cancer. The study confirms that radiation oncologists are successfully balancing patients' needs with the cost of providing healthcare.
A study analyzed the economic and health services of singleton, twin, and higher-order multiple births, finding that twins and HOMs were at higher risk for stillbirth, neonatal death, prematurity, and low birth weight. The average hospital costs for these groups were significantly higher than those for singletons.
Researchers found that 28% of medical orders were rated as defensive and cost $1,695 per patient. The study suggests that only a small portion of medical costs might be reduced by tort reform.
The US CoreValve High Risk Trial found that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) provided lower 12-month mortality compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in high-risk patients. TAVR also showed significant improvements in quality of life, with estimated gains of 0.24 life years and 0.20 quality-adjusted life years.
Research finds 70% of potential unnecessary therapies represented by three specific drug combinations used to treat anaerobic infections. This overuse can contribute to antimicrobial resistance and increase healthcare costs. The study highlights the need for hospitals to improve their antimicrobial usage efforts.
A new study published in Annals of Surgery shows that providing pricing information upfront can influence patient choice of surgical procedures and potentially lead to cost savings. When parents were aware of the cost difference between open surgery and laparoscopy for their children's appendicitis, they were almost twice as likely to ...
A collaborative study estimated long-term costs and health outcomes of depression-related absence compared to working employees with depression. Researchers found that continuing to work while experiencing a depressive illness may offer certain health benefits.
A new University of Michigan study found significant variation in hospital admissions for ER patients with common non-life-threatening conditions, resulting in estimated annual costs of $5 billion and $266 billion. The study analyzed data from 961 hospitals and 28.5 million emergency visits, revealing that some conditions had high rate...
A study by Physicians for a National Health Program finds that US hospital bureaucracy consumes a quarter of hospital budgets, driving inefficiency and diverting resources away from patient care. Single-payer reform could potentially save $150 billion annually on hospital overhead.
A new study suggests that focusing on improving utilization rates and quality outcomes could help reduce US healthcare expenditures. Researchers analyzed Medicaid and commercial insurance claims in Vermont to evaluate the impact of patient-centered medical homes on inpatient services and cost of care.
Researchers propose taxing nearly all packaged foods and subsidizing healthier options to encourage better dietary choices. The goal is to reduce health care costs associated with diet-related illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease.
A new study finds that home monitoring of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) has a comparable cost to traditional in-office monitoring. However, significant variations in insurance reimbursement across European countries impact the adoption of this practice.
A recent Perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the US may no longer need a separate, expensive VA healthcare system for its rapidly shrinking veteran population. The authors propose transitioning out of the hospital business while continuing to provide specialized services like mental health and rehabil...
A multidisciplinary program that incorporated best practices across perioperative care phases significantly reduced superficial surgical site infections (SSIs) and postoperative sepsis. The bundled approach improved patient outcomes but had no significant impact on deep SSIs, length of stay, or readmission rates.
Hot flashes are a prevalent side effect of hormone decline, causing fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, and impaired memory. The study estimates that $339M in healthcare costs and $27M in lost wages can be prevented with effective treatment.
A new study found that surgery for hip fractures yields significant savings in lifetime medical costs, with total societal savings exceeding $16 billion for older patients. Surgery also improves physical function and reduces mortality risk.
Researchers found that carbon-reduction policies can lead to significant health savings, with benefits ranging from 26% to 10.5 times the cost of implementation. A transportation policy was the most expensive option, costing over $1 trillion in 2006 dollars, while a clean energy standard fell between the costs of other policies.
A new study found that overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes who lose weight through dieting and physical activity can reduce their healthcare costs by an average of over $500 per year. Those in the intensive lifestyle intervention group had fewer hospitalizations, shorter hospital stays, and used fewer prescription medications.
A UCSF study found significant price differences in common blood tests across California hospitals, with prices ranging from $35 to $7,303. Hospital ownership and teaching status explain some variation, but factors like location and labor costs do not.
A new disposable biosensor may help physicians determine which patients can safely be fed following surgery by monitoring intestinal movements. The device, AbStats, uses sound waves to measure the rate of acoustic events in the intestines, allowing doctors to make evidence-based decisions about post-operative feeding.
A study published in JAMA found that implantable cardioverter-defibrillators programmed with long-detection intervals for ventricular arrhythmias led to a reduction in hospitalization rates and lengths of stay. This strategy also resulted in lower costs, making it a cost-effective alternative to standard interval programming.
A pilot program testing bundled payments for orthopedic procedures in California failed to meet its cost-saving objectives, mainly due to low participant volume and administrative burden. The study's findings highlight the need for sufficient case volume, simple bundle definitions, and financial risk management to make bundled payment ...
A study led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy found that community pharmacist interventions can significantly boost drug adherence rates. The project showed a 3-4% increase in medication adherence across five common medication classes, resulting in substantial cost savings for healthcare systems. By leveraging pharmaci...
The Tennessee Surgical Quality Collaborative reduced surgical complications by 19.7% since 2009, saving at least 533 lives and $75.2 million in costs. The collaborative, formed in 2008, used the ACS NSQIP program to collect data and evaluate best practices.