Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study
Abstract Background A timely diagnosis is essential for improving breast cancer patients’ survival and designing targeted therapeutic plans. For this purpose, the screening timing, as well as the related waiting lists, are decisive. Nonetheless, even in economically advanced countries, breast cancer...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09447-y |
| _version_ | 1797774305176584192 |
|---|---|
| author | Annarita Fanizzi Elisabetta Graps Domenica Antonia Bavaro Marco Farella Samantha Bove Francesco Campobasso Maria Colomba Comes Cristian Cristofaro Daniele La Forgia Martina Milella Serena Iacovelli Rossella Villani Rahel Signorile Alessio De Bartolo Vito Lorusso Raffaella Massafra |
| author_facet | Annarita Fanizzi Elisabetta Graps Domenica Antonia Bavaro Marco Farella Samantha Bove Francesco Campobasso Maria Colomba Comes Cristian Cristofaro Daniele La Forgia Martina Milella Serena Iacovelli Rossella Villani Rahel Signorile Alessio De Bartolo Vito Lorusso Raffaella Massafra |
| author_sort | Annarita Fanizzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background A timely diagnosis is essential for improving breast cancer patients’ survival and designing targeted therapeutic plans. For this purpose, the screening timing, as well as the related waiting lists, are decisive. Nonetheless, even in economically advanced countries, breast cancer radiology centres fail in providing effective screening programs. Actually, a careful hospital governance should encourage waiting lists reduction programs, not only for improving patients care, but also for minimizing costs associated with the treatment of advanced cancers. Thus, in this work, we proposed a model to evaluate several scenarios for an optimal distribution of the resources invested in a Department of Breast Radiodiagnosis. Materials and methods Particularly, we performed a cost-benefit analysis as a technology assessment method to estimate both costs and health effects of the screening program, to maximise both benefits related to the quality of care and resources employed by the Department of Breast Radiodiagnosis of Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” of Bari in 2019. Specifically, we determined the Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) for estimating health outcomes, in terms of usefulness of two hypothetical screening strategies with respect to the current one. While the first hypothetical strategy adds one team made up of a doctor, a technician and a nurse, along with an ultrasound and a mammograph, the second one adds two afternoon teams. Results This study showed that the most cost-effective incremental ratio could be achieved by reducing current waiting lists from 32 to 16 months. Finally, our analysis revealed that this strategy would also allow to include more people in the screening programs (60,000 patients in 3 years). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:19:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b59197b746434e709dda2aa41325ece7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:19:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-b59197b746434e709dda2aa41325ece72023-07-23T11:10:17ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632023-05-012311910.1186/s12913-023-09447-yAssessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case studyAnnarita Fanizzi0Elisabetta Graps1Domenica Antonia Bavaro2Marco Farella3Samantha Bove4Francesco Campobasso5Maria Colomba Comes6Cristian Cristofaro7Daniele La Forgia8Martina Milella9Serena Iacovelli10Rossella Villani11Rahel Signorile12Alessio De Bartolo13Vito Lorusso14Raffaella Massafra15I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”Direttore medico Area Valutazione e Ricerca, coordinatore del Centro regionale di Health Technology Assessment AReSS PugliaI.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”Dipartimento di Economia, Management e Diritto dell’Impresa, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”Dipartimento di Economia, Management e Diritto dell’Impresa, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”Abstract Background A timely diagnosis is essential for improving breast cancer patients’ survival and designing targeted therapeutic plans. For this purpose, the screening timing, as well as the related waiting lists, are decisive. Nonetheless, even in economically advanced countries, breast cancer radiology centres fail in providing effective screening programs. Actually, a careful hospital governance should encourage waiting lists reduction programs, not only for improving patients care, but also for minimizing costs associated with the treatment of advanced cancers. Thus, in this work, we proposed a model to evaluate several scenarios for an optimal distribution of the resources invested in a Department of Breast Radiodiagnosis. Materials and methods Particularly, we performed a cost-benefit analysis as a technology assessment method to estimate both costs and health effects of the screening program, to maximise both benefits related to the quality of care and resources employed by the Department of Breast Radiodiagnosis of Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” of Bari in 2019. Specifically, we determined the Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) for estimating health outcomes, in terms of usefulness of two hypothetical screening strategies with respect to the current one. While the first hypothetical strategy adds one team made up of a doctor, a technician and a nurse, along with an ultrasound and a mammograph, the second one adds two afternoon teams. Results This study showed that the most cost-effective incremental ratio could be achieved by reducing current waiting lists from 32 to 16 months. Finally, our analysis revealed that this strategy would also allow to include more people in the screening programs (60,000 patients in 3 years).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09447-yCost-effectiveness analysisBreast radiologyQuality-Adjusted Life YearIncremental Cost-Effectiveness RatioWaiting list reduction strategies |
| spellingShingle | Annarita Fanizzi Elisabetta Graps Domenica Antonia Bavaro Marco Farella Samantha Bove Francesco Campobasso Maria Colomba Comes Cristian Cristofaro Daniele La Forgia Martina Milella Serena Iacovelli Rossella Villani Rahel Signorile Alessio De Bartolo Vito Lorusso Raffaella Massafra Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study BMC Health Services Research Cost-effectiveness analysis Breast radiology Quality-Adjusted Life Year Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio Waiting list reduction strategies |
| title | Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study |
| title_full | Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study |
| title_short | Assessing the cost-effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department: a real-life case study |
| title_sort | assessing the cost effectiveness of waiting list reduction strategies for a breast radiology department a real life case study |
| topic | Cost-effectiveness analysis Breast radiology Quality-Adjusted Life Year Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio Waiting list reduction strategies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09447-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annaritafanizzi assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT elisabettagraps assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT domenicaantoniabavaro assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT marcofarella assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT samanthabove assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT francescocampobasso assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT mariacolombacomes assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT cristiancristofaro assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT danielelaforgia assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT martinamilella assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT serenaiacovelli assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT rossellavillani assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT rahelsignorile assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT alessiodebartolo assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT vitolorusso assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy AT raffaellamassafra assessingthecosteffectivenessofwaitinglistreductionstrategiesforabreastradiologydepartmentareallifecasestudy |