The cost-utility of a care coordination/home telehealth programme for veterans with diabetes

J Telemed Telecare. 2007;13(6):318-21. doi: 10.1258/135763307781644843.

Abstract

We examined the cost-effectiveness of a care coordination/home telehealth (CCHT) programme for veterans with diabetes. We conducted a retrospective, pre-post study which compared data for a cohort of veterans (n=370) before and after the introduction of the CCHT programme for two periods of 12 months. To assess the cost-effectiveness, we converted the patients' health-related quality of life data into Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) utility scores and used costs to construct incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). The overall mean ICER for the programme at one-year was $60,941, a value within the commonly-cited range of cost-effectiveness of $50,000-100,000. The programme was cost-effective for one-third of the participants. Characteristics that contributed to cost-effectiveness were marital status, location and clinically relevant co-morbidities. By targeting the intervention differently in future work, it may become cost-effective for a greater proportion of patients.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis / economics
  • Delivery of Health Care / economics*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / economics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient-Centered Care / economics*
  • Quality-Adjusted Life Years
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Veterans*