Research on the cost of health care and how to control it. Covers cardiovascular care in Latin America, emergency-visit costs, insulin pricing, and screening gaps.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
A new Stanford study outlines a plan to convert California's all-purpose energy infrastructure to renewable energy by 2050. The plan could create tens of thousands of jobs and save billions in pollution-related health costs while reducing air pollution mortality and global warming emissions.
The AP-NORC Center's national survey reveals that Americans prioritize doctor-patient interactions and personality traits over care effectiveness when choosing a doctor. Overwhelming majorities support public reporting requirements to improve healthcare quality, but many struggle to find trustworthy information.
A study found that lower income populations have consistently had lower rates of living donation compared to higher income populations. The difference in living donation rates between lower and higher income populations has become larger over time, implying a need for more effective strategies to overcome financial barriers.
A study published in Journal of General Internal Medicine found that hour-long home coaching sessions and follow-up phone calls reduced re-admission odds by 39% among Medicare patients. The average cost of care was also reduced by $3,700 per patient.
Research published in Tobacco Control finds that people with mental health issues who smoke incur significant economic costs due to premature death, lost productivity, and healthcare expenses. The total estimated annual cost is around £2.5 billion, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to help this group quit smoking.
A new study outlines opportunities to reduce healthcare costs through the use of big data. Researchers highlight five key areas: high-cost patients, readmissions, triage, decompensation, and adverse events. By analyzing large datasets, clinicians can identify high-risk patients, predict readmissions, and optimize treatment for chronic ...
A new study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UNAIDS found that scaling up HIV services can achieve substantially lower unit-costs per patient. Integrating these services with other healthcare services, such as tuberculosis treatment, can lead to better value for money.
The American College of Physicians recommends against routine pelvic exams for asymptomatic, average-risk women due to low diagnostic accuracy and potential harms. The guideline suggests that pelvic exams are appropriate only for women with symptoms or certain risk factors.
Researchers used large-scale patient data analytics to predict future risk of metabolic syndrome, identifying individual variable impact on risk associated with adherence to prescribed medications and routine doctor visits. The study also found that improving waist circumference and blood glucose yielded the largest benefits.
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that deploying a small number of skilled midwives in the world's poorest nations could prevent over a quarter of maternal, fetal, and infant deaths worldwide. Increasing midwife coverage to 60% by 2015 could save nearly 2.3 million mothers and babies.
Researchers found that providing in-hospital counseling and post-care support can lead to significant health system savings while increasing the number of quitters. The Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation (OMSC) was shown to be a cost-effective intervention, generating benefits in terms of reduced hospital readmissions and deaths.
A new study reveals that musculoskeletal conditions are associated with significantly higher healthcare costs, even when compared to chronic diseases. The study found that the presence of a musculoskeletal condition was accountable for an additional 36% of healthcare costs in individuals with multiple morbidities.
A new study from the University of Pennsylvania estimates that lifetime costs for autism spectrum disorder can range from $1.4 million to $2.4 million per patient in the US and UK. The study found that costs are significantly higher for individuals with intellectual disabilities, with a lifetime cost of $2.4 million in the US.
A US study found that prostate cancer surgery costs varied greatly among hospitals, with a 13-fold price difference. The study also highlighted the lack of transparency in hospital pricing, making it difficult for consumers to compare costs.
A two-year study found that using alcohol-impregnated caps reduced central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) by 68%, with 80% of infections related to inadequate hub cleaning. This simple intervention saved over $1 million in hospital costs, making it an easy addition to infection prevention strategies.
UK researchers are developing new materials to create artificial corneas and contact lenses that can be manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. The project aims to reduce the financial impact of vision loss on individuals and the economy, with potential breakthroughs in treating age-related macular degeneration.
Researchers analyzed the cost-effectiveness of electric school buses that discharge their batteries into the electrical grid when not in use. Over 14 years, a V2G-capable electric bus fleet could save an estimated $38 million compared to diesel buses.
Surgical site infections (SSIs) result in significantly higher costs for patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals, with average costs increasing by 43% compared to those without SSIs. The greatest SSI-related costs are observed among neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery patients.
A cost-saving, coordinated brain care model developed by Indiana University researchers is attracting nationwide attention for its ability to improve health outcomes and quality of care while lowering costs. The ABC model, tested in large clinical trials, improves care at a lower cost than standard care.
A randomized study found that home testing of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) followed by initiation of CPAP therapy reduced costs compared to in-lab testing, without compromising clinical outcomes. The study showed significant cost savings of $564 over 2.75 years, making home management a viable option.