Healthcare professional and manager perceptions on drivers, benefits, and challenges of telemedicine: results from a cross-sectional survey in the Italian NHS

BACKGROUND

The Covid-19 pandemic provided new challenges and opportunities for patients and healthcare providers while accelerating the trend of digital healthcare transformation. This study explores the perspectives of healthcare professionals and managers on (i) drivers to the implementation of telemedicine services and (ii) perceived benefits and challenges related to the use of telemedicine across the Italian National Health Service.

METHODS

An online cross-sectional survey was distributed to professionals working within 308 healthcare organisations in different Italian regions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire (June-September 2021). Responses were analysed using summary statistics and thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Key factors driving the adoption of telemedicine have been grouped into (i) organisational drivers (reduce the virus spread-80%; enhance care quality and efficiency-61%), (ii) technological drivers (ease of use-82%; efficacy and reliability-64%; compliance with data governance regulations-64%) and (iii) regulatory drivers (regulations' semplification-84%). Nearly all respondents perceive telemedicine as useful in improving patient care (96%). The main benefits reported by respondents are shorter waiting lists, reduced Emergency Department attendance, decreased patient and clinician travel, and more frequent patient-doctor interactions. However, only 7% of respondents believe that telemedicine services are more effective than traditional care and 66% of the healthcare professionals believe that telemedicine can't completely substitute in-person visits due to challenges with physical examination and patient-doctor relationships. Other reported challenges include poor quality and interoperability of telemedicine platforms and scarce integration of telemedicine with traditional care services. Moreover, healthcare professionals believe that some groups of patients experience difficulties in accessing and using the technologies due to socio-cultural factors, technological and linguistic challenges and the absence of caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Respondents believe that telemedicine can be useful to complement and augment traditional care. However, many challenges still need to be overcome to fully consider telemedicine a standard of care. Strategies that could help address these challenges include additional regulations on data governance and reimbursements, evidence-based guidelines for the use of telemedicine, greater integration of tools and processes, patient-centred training for clinicians, patient-facing material to assist patients in navigating virtual sessions, different language options, and greater involvement of caregivers in the care process.

The role of INTERCheckWEB digital innovation in supporting polytherapy management

The study aims at defining the factors affecting the clinicians' decision of changing or confirming the treatment options for frail patients in polytherapy, supporting prescribing patterns, thus also figuring out if the inclination of the clinicians towards digital solutions (INTERCheckWEB) and specific guidelines, could play a role in their decision. A literature review was performed, revealing the main individual, organizational and decisional factors, impacting on the clinicians' propensity to change the current patients' therapy: the clinician perceptions of support in case of clinical guidelines use or INTERCheckWEB use were studied. A qualitative approach was implemented, and thirty-five clinicians completed a questionnaire, aimed at evaluating fifteen different clinical cases, defining if they would change the patient's current therapy depending on the level of information received. Three methodological approaches were implemented. (1) Bivariate correlations to test the relationships between variables. (2) Hierarchical sequential linear regression model to define the predictors of the clinician propensity to change therapy. (3) Fuzzy Qualitative Comparative Analysis-fsQCA, to figure out the combination of variables leading to the outcome. Patient's age and autonomy (p value = 0.000), as well as clinician's perception regarding IT ease of use (p value = 0.043) and seniority (p value = 0.009), number of drugs assumed by the patients (p value = 0.000) and number of concomitant diseases (p value = 0.000) are factors influencing a potential change in the current therapy. The fsQCA-crisp confirms that the clinical conditions of the patients are the driving factors that prompt the clinicians towards a therapy change.

System Integrated Digital Empowering and teleRehabilitation to promote patient Activation and well-Being in chronic disabilities: A usability and acceptability study

Introduction

Telerehabilitation systems represent a promising way for the management of chronic disability, delivering technology-enabled rehabilitation outside the hospital setting. However, usability and acceptability assessment with users represents a critical starting point when using digital healthcare solutions. This study aims at evaluating the user experience with a Telerehabilitation system (SIDERA^∧B) from the end-user side.

Methods

SIDERA^∧B consists of an asynchronous delivery of rehabilitation activities through multimedia digital contents and tele-monitoring of vital parameters with technological devices for individualized, home-based management of chronic conditions. Usability (with the System Usability Scale, SUS) and acceptability (using the Technology Acceptance Model, TAM - and The Service User Technology Acceptance Questionnaire, SUTAQ) data were analyzed from the dataset of the SIDERA^∧B project (N = 112 patients with Chronic Heart Failure, Parkinson's Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). The possible influence of five external factors (i.e., technological expertise, education, sex, age, and level of disability) on TAM domains was tested using Spearman's Correlation analysis.

Results

Results showed a satisfactory level of technological usability (SUS Median = 77.5) and good scores in usability and learnability SUS subdomains (mean scores > 2.5). Regarding technological acceptability, participants showed high scores (Median > 4) in "Behavioral Intention", "Perceived Usefulness", and "Perceived Ease of Use" TAM domains. Finally, results from the SUTAQ scale highlighted that the SIDERA^∧B system obtained optimal scores in all domains, especially in "Increased accessibility," "Care personnel concerns," and "Satisfaction." Age (rho = -0.291, p = 0.002) and disability level (WHODAS Total score: rho = -0.218, p = 0.021) were the two external factors inversely associated with the Perceived Ease of Use.

Discussion

The age of digital transformation requires everyone to understand, accept and master the changes affecting modern-day healthcare. The usability and acceptability of the SIDERA^∧B system were high across all end-users, despite the medium-low level of the technological expertise of the sample. These findings support the efficiency and the suitability of these digital solutions in the modern digital age transition of rehabilitation from inside to outside the clinic.

Multidimensional Results and Reflections on CAR-T: The Italian Evidence

The present study aims at defining the economic and organizational impacts of the introduction of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) in Italy, for the management of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients in third-line therapy, defining the overall level of sustainability for both hospitals and the National Healthcare System (NHS). The analysis focused on CAR-T and Best Salvage Care (in the following BSC), assuming the Italian hospital and NHS perspectives, over a 36-month time horizon. Process mapping and activity-based costing methodologies were applied to collect the hospital costs related to the BSC and CAR-T pathways, including adverse event management. Anonymous administrative data on services provided (diagnostic and laboratory examinations, hospitalizations, outpatient procedures, and therapies) to 47 third-line patients with lymphoma, as well as any organizational investments required, were collected, in two different Italian Hospitals. The economic results showed that the BSC clinical pathway required less resources in comparison with CAR-T (excluding the cost related to the therapy) (BSC: 29,558.41 vs. CAR-T: EUR 71,220.84, -58.5%). The budget impact analysis depicts that the introduction of CAR-T would generate an increase in costs ranging from 15% to 23%, without considering treatment costs. The assessment of the organizational impact reveals that the introduction of CAR-T therapy would require additional investments equal to a minimum of EUR 15,500 to a maximum of EUR 100,897.49, from the hospital perspective. Results show new economic evidence for healthcare decision makers, to optimize the appropriateness of resource allocation. The present analysis suggests the need to introduce a specific reimbursement tariff, both at the hospital and at NHS levels, since no consensus exists, at least in the Italian setting, concerning the proper remuneration for the hospitals who guarantee this innovative pathway, assuming high risks related to timely management of adverse events.

A Key Driver of Patient Satisfaction: Interaction of Patients with Personnel Delivering Incontinence Health Technologies

Primary care represents an answer to the growing demand of an ageing population for healthcare services outside the hospital. As a support mechanism of primary care, the distribution of health technologies to chronic patients plays an important role, but it has been investigated from the operational viewpoint only, ignoring the patient's perspective. We explored patient's satisfaction in relation to the distribution processes of incontinence health technologies, investigating its antecedents and isolating the factors driving the satisfaction of patients – which could be leveraged to design better distribution processes for better primary care services. We performed a survey study on 650 patients in primary care services affected by incontinence in Italy, building on the ServQual and Kano models. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) was adopted to analyse the data. Results show that interaction of patients with the personnel delivering the service is the key driver of patient satisfaction: this is an element more important than the operational features of distribution services (such as punctuality/reliability of the service or its flexibility).

Innovative and conventional "conservative" technologies for the treatment of uterine fibroids in Italy: a multidimensional assessment

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the potential benefits of the Magnetic Resonance-guided high intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) introduction in the clinical practice, for the treatment of uterine fibroids, in comparison with the standard "conservative" procedures, devoted to women who wish to preserve their uterus or enhance fertility: myomectomy and uterine artery embolization (UAE).

METHODS

A Health Technology Assessment was conducted, assuming the payer's perspective (Italian National Healthcare Service). The nine EUnetHTA Core Model dimensions were deeply investigated, by means of i) a literature review; ii) the implementation of health economics tools (useful for uterine fibroids patients' clinical pathway economic evaluation, and budget impact analysis), to define MRgFUS economic and organizational sustainability, and iii) administration of specific questionnaires filled by uterine fibroids' experts, to gather their perceptions on the three possible conservative approaches (MRgFUS, UAE and myomectomy).

RESULTS

Literature revealed that MRgFUS would generate several benefits, from a safety and an efficacy profile, with significant improvement in symptoms relief. Advantages emerged concerning the patients' perspective, thus leading to a decrease both in the length of hospital stay (p-value< 0.001), and in patients' productivity loss (p-value = 0.024). From an economic point of view, the Italian NHS would present an economic saving of - 6.42%. A positive organizational and equity impact emerged regarding the capability to treat a larger number of women, thus performing, on average, 131.852 additional DRGs.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that MRgFUS could be considered an advantageous technological alternative to adopt within the target population affected by uterine fibroids, demonstrating its economic and organisational feasibility and sustainability, with consequent social benefits.

A new approach for emergency department performance positioning: The quality-efficiency matrix

BACKGROUND

The crowding of emergency departments (EDs) is one of the major poor-quality factors for patients. Because of this, measuring ED performance in Healthcare Systems is a difficult but an important task needed to enhance quality and efficiency.

PURPOSE

(i) Development of a tool to observe and evaluate performance measurement, analysing two critical variables (quality and efficiency), verifying the change in performance due to the implementation of a new organizational model; (ii) the implementation of the tool in two EDs with comparable annual volumes of activity in the Italian context.

METHODS

A literature review on ED performance was conducted in order to identify acknowledged performance measurements used in this context that can be used in the development of a tool for the evaluation of EDs' performance. The goal is to have a matrix that is easily understood and that shows a simple relationship between quality and efficiency. This was possible by setting up a method that translates the ED annual performance data (in this case the data related to year 2018) into a graph with benchmarking purposes, also including an actual situation (AS-IS) view as compared to a TO-BE situation (i.e., before and after an organizational change occurred).

RESULTS

Two real EDs were compared and their results depicted; they can be easily related with each other to benchmark healthcare organisations. More precisely, a comparison can be used for two main tasks: - identifying different strategic areas and observing the positioning of a health organization at any given moment in time, seeing where it stands among its competitors in a matrix; - knowing how to best allocate available resources and where to divert investment. Results show that the tool depicts the situation of EDs, with a clear indication of how performance increases or decreases in the case of AS-IS and TO-BE evaluation, and also offers a quick understanding of the benchmarked EDs' situations.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The results can be shown on a graph that summarises the performance change for the AS-IS versus TO-BE conditions. This can be a useful tool for the ED and for the hospital decision makers, as it allows for an observation of performance by analysing two critical variables: the quality and the efficiency of the service provided. The former represents customer satisfaction, which in this work is the combination of two factors (i.e., appropriateness of assigning the triage code and patient satisfaction), and the latter represents the ED's efficiency in providing emergency care. The tool also helps the organizational changes to be easily evaluated.

The implementation of a standardized optimal procedure for peripheral venous catheters' management: Results from a multi-dimensional assessment

Peripheral Venous Catheter (PVC) is a widely used device in the hospital setting and is often associated with significant adverse events that may impair treatment administration and patient health. The aim of the present study is to define the incremental benefits related to the implementation and the standardized and simultaneous use of three disposable devices for skin antisepsis, infusion, and cleaning, assuming the hospital's point of view, from an effectiveness, efficiency, and organizational perspective. For the achievement of the above objective, real-life data were collected by means of an observational prospective study, involving two hospitals in the Liguria Region (Northern Italy). Consecutive cases were enrolled and placed into two different scenarios: 1) use of all the three disposable devices, thus representing the scenario related to the implementation of a standardized optimal procedure (Scenario 1); 2) use of only one or two disposable devices, representing the scenario related to not being in a standardized optimal procedure (Scenario 2). For the definition of effectiveness indicators, the reason for PVC removal and the PVC-related adverse events occurrence were collected for each patient enrolled. In addition, an activity-based costing analysis grounded on a process-mapping technique was conducted to define the overall economic absorption sustained by hospitals when taking in charge patients requiring a PVC. Among the 380 patients enrolled in the study, 18% were treated with the standardized optimal procedure (Scenario 1). The two Scenarios differed in terms of number of patients for whom the PCV was removed due to the end of therapy (86.8% versus 39.40%, p-value = 0.000), with a consequent decrease in the adverse events occurrence rate. The economic evaluation demonstrated the sustainability and feasibility of implementing the standardized optimal procedure specifically related to the need for lower economic resources for the hospital management of adverse events occurred (€19.60 versus €21.71, p-value = 0.0019). An organizational advantage also emerged concerning an overall lower time to execute all the PVC-related activities (4.39 versus 5.72 minutes, p-value = 0.00). Results demonstrate the feasibility in the adoption of the standardized optimal procedure for PVC management, with significant advantages not only from a clinical point of view, but also from an organizational and economic perspective, thus being able to increase the overall operational efficiency of the hospitals.

Advanced Medical Devices for Preparation and Administration of Chemotherapeutic Agents: Results from a Multi-Dimensional Evaluation

Purpose

To evaluate the incremental benefits concerning the implementation of closed-system medical devices for the preparation and administration of chemotherapy agents (integrated or not with traceable workflow), within an Italian clinical practice, in which the use of such technologies is not standardized.

Methodology

Four Scenarios, implying different levels of technologies introduction, were analyzed, based on the presence and/or absence of closed systems and traceable workflow, in the preparation and in the administration phase. A literature review was conducted, in order to retrieve efficacy and safety measures. Economic and organizational benefits, assuming a hospitals perspective, were assessed by means of health-economics tools, considering 27,660 (±695.86) drugs on average prepared, on an annual basis, by 12 hospitals involved. The typology of medical devices and other devices/equipment used, the human resources involved, and the time spent for the preparation and administration phases were collected.

Results

Literature stated that the introduction of advanced technologies (CSTDs in the preparation phase, closed-system in the administration phase, both integrated by a traceable workflow) could: i) decrease surface contamination (12.24% vs 26.39%, P<0.001) and ii) improve the capability to identify dosage errors (7% vs 0.096%, P<0.05). The above technologies presented the best trade-off between cost sustained and efficacy gained. Despite marginal investments (ranging from +1% to +6%) being required for their acquisition, an organizational saving equal to more than 1,000 working hours emerged, which could be spent on other hospital activities.

Conclusion

The implementation of closed systems, integrated with a traceable workflow grounding on gravimetric control, may be considered a valid technological alternative within the investigated setting. The marginal incremental costs could be absorbed already in the first year after their introduction, in particular, because of the potential time saving in using closed systems in both the preparation and administration phases, demonstrating the sustainability and feasibility of such advanced technologies.

Comorbidities and HCV coinfection in the management of HIV+ patients: evidence from the Italian clinical practice

BACKGROUND

Since HIV+ treatment has become more effective, the average age of people living with HIV (PLWHIV) has increased, and consequently the incidence of developing comorbidities, making the clinical and economic management of HIV+ patients more complex. Limited literature exists regarding the management of comorbidities costs. This study is aimed at defining and comparing the total annual costs of comorbidities, in an Italian cohort of HIV and HIV/HCV patients, from the National Healthcare Service perspective. The authors hypothesised that there are higher costs, for patients with multiple comorbidities, and a greater consumption of resources for HIV/HCV co-infected patients versus HIV mono-infected patients.

METHODS

An observational retrospective multi-centre health-economics study, enrolling HIV+ and HIV/HCV consecutive patients with at least one comorbidity, was conducted. The consecutive cases, provided by three Italian infectious diseases centres, were related to the year 2016. The enrolled patients were on a stable antiviral therapy for at least six months. Demographic and clinical information was recorded. Costs related to HIV and HCV therapies, other treatments, medical examinations, hospitalizations and outpatient visits were evaluated. Data from mono-infected and co-infected groups of patients were compared, and the statistical analysis was performed by t-tests, chi-square and ANOVA. A sub-analysis excluding HCV therapy costs, was also conducted. The hierarchical sequential linear regression model was used to explore the determinants of costs, considering the investigated comorbidities. All analyses were conducted with a significant level of 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 676 patients, 82% male, mean age 52, were identified and divided into groups (338 mono-infected HIV+ and 338 co-infected HIV/HCV patients), comparable in terms of age, gender, and demographic characteristics. A trend towards higher annual costs, for patients with multiple comorbidities was observed in HIV mono-infected patients (respectively € 8272.18 for patients without comorbidities and € 12,532.49 for patients with three or more comorbidities, p-value: 0.001). Excluding anti-HCV therapies costs, HIV/HCV co-infected patients generally required more resources, with statistically significant differences related to cardiovascular events (€10,116.58 vs €11,004.28, p-value: 0.001), and neurocognitive impairments events (€7706.43 vs €11,641.29 p- value: < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a differentiated and comprehensive analysis of the healthcare resources needed by HIV and HIV/HCV patients with comorbidities and may contribute to the decision process of resources allocation, in the clinical management of different HIV+ patient populations.

Literature review of managerial levers in primary care

PURPOSE

This study aims to analyze the managerial levers previously considered in literature in the setting of the provision of primary care and community services (in particular for patients with long-term conditions being treated also at home) as well as those scarcely explored that could potentially be adopted in the future.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

This study was a structured literature review. The authors retrieved papers, published from 2005-2020, from electronic databases (i.e. ABI/INFORM Complete, Jstor, PubMed and Scopus). Each selected paper was assigned to a framework category, and a thematic analysis was performed.

FINDINGS

Topics scarcely explored in literature were related to logistics/supply chain, economic evaluations, performance management and customer satisfaction. Some papers embraced more than one management topic, confirming the multidisciplinary nature of territorial healthcare services. The majority of research, however, focused on only one aspect of primary care services, and a lack of an integrated view regarding the provision of those services emerged.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

This study represents a first attempt to rationalize the fragmented body of knowledge on the topic of the provision of primary and community care services. This study enabled some light to be shed on the managerial levers already explored previously in literature and also identifies a number of trajectories for future research.

Budget impact analysis of breast cancer screening in Italy: The role of new technologies

Although mammography screening significantly reduces breast cancer mortality, women could present different morphological characteristics that do not allow the correct vision of their breasts and the detection of cancer, resulting in a delay of diagnosis and an increase in the risk of mortality. The present study aims at analyzing potential areas of improvement of the current screening programs and then hypothesizing alternative technologies to use within the diagnostic phase, from an economic point of view. A Budget Impact Analysis approach was implemented, considering the Italian National Healthcare Service perspective, and representing the healthcare expenditure evolution, over three years. In the Budget Impact Analysis model, two distinct phases of the screening programs were considered: (1) the screening/diagnosis phase and (2) the phase related to cancer care and treatments of patients. The results provide clinicians and policy makers with a rational method to forecast economic resources in the screening programs in a general context of limited resources. In particular, results of the Budget Impact Analysis showed that, while the introduction of the ABUS InveniaTM technology into the screening programs would lead to an increase in the screening phase expenditure, it would generate an economic advantage related to the patients treatment and care.

Predicting resistant etiology in hospitalized patients with blood cultures positive for Gram-negative bacilli

OBJECTIVE

To develop a risk-scoring tool to predict multidrug-resistant (MDR) etiology in patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by Gram-negative bacilli (GNB).

METHODS

A prospective multicenter study analyzed patients with BSI hospitalized in 31 Internal Medicine wards in Italy from March 2012 to December 2012. Patients with BSI caused by MDR-GNB (non-susceptible to at least one agent in three antimicrobial categories) were compared to those with BSI due to susceptible GNB. A logistic regression to identify predictive factors of MDR-GNB was performed and the odds ratio (OR) were calculated. A score to predict the risk of MDR was developed.

RESULTS

Of 533 BSI episodes, 253 (47.5%) were caused by GNB. Among GNB-BSI, 122 (48.2%) were caused by MDR-GNB while 131 (51.8%) by non-MDR GNB. At multivariate analysis transfer from long-term care facility (OR 9.013, 95% CI 1.089-74.579, p = 0.041), hospitalization in the last 3 months (OR 2.882, 95% CI 1.580-5.259, p = 0.001), urinary catheter (OR 2.315, 95% CI 1.202-4.459, p = 0.012), antibiotic therapy in the last 3 months (OR 1.882, 95% CI 1.041-3.405, p = 0.036), age ≥ 75 years (OR 1.866, 95% CI 1.076-3.237, p = 0.026) were factors independently associated with MDR etiology. A score ranging from 0 to 10 was useful to recognize patients at lowest risk (0 points: Negative Likelihood Ratio 0.10) and those at highest risk (>6 points, Positive Likelihood Ratio 11.8) of GNB bacteremia due to a MDR strain.

CONCLUSIONS

Specific predictors of MDR etiology are useful to calculate probabilities of MDR etiology among hospitalized patients with blood cultures positive for GNB.

A comparison between WHODAS 2.0 and Modified Barthel Index: which tool is more suitable for assessing the disability and the recovery rate in orthopedic rehabilitation?

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to compare 2 clinical assessment tools, the Modified Barthel Index (currently administered to patients admitted into inpatient rehabilitation units after elective hip or knee arthroplasty) with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 scale, in order to identify which tool is more suitable for assessing the disability and the "recovery rate".

Patients and methods

A perspective multicenter observational study was developed, involving 2 hospital authorities in Italy. Eighty consecutive cases of inpatients were enrolled. Patient's disability was evaluated using both of the aforementioned tools, before and after the rehabilitation program.

Results

The WHODAS 2.0 score was, on average, 12.21% higher than the Modified Barthel Index, before the surgical intervention. Modified Barthel Index measures could be considered as a determinant and a predictor of length of stay.

Conclusion

The Modified Barthel Index is limited, since it does not consider a patient's perspective. The WHODAS 2.0 scale fully considers a patient's perception of disability. Therefore, both assessment scales should be administered in clinical practice, in order to provide integration of clinical information with a patient's reported outcome measures.

Economic and organizational sustainability of a negative-pressure portable device for the prevention of surgical-site complications

Purpose

Surgical-site complications (SSCs) affect patients’ clinical pathway, prolonging their hospitalization and incrementing their management costs. The present study aimed to assess the economic and organizational implications of a portable device for negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) implementation, compared with the administration of pharmacological therapies alone for preventing surgical complications in patients undergoing general, cardiac, obstetrical–gynecological, or orthopedic surgical procedures.

Patients and methods

A total of 8,566 hospital procedures, related to the year 2015 from one hospital, were evaluated considering infection risk index, occurrence rates of SSCs, drug therapies, and surgical, diagnostic, and specialist procedures and hematological exams. Activity-based costing and budget impact analyses were implemented for the economic assessment.

Results

Patients developing an SSC absorbed i) 64.27% more economic resources considering the length of stay (€ 8,269±2,096 versus € 5,034±2,901, p<0.05) and ii) 42.43% more economic resources related to hematological and diagnostic procedures (€ 639±117 versus € 449±72, p<0.05). If the innovative device had been used over the 12-month time period, it would have decreased the risk of developing SSCs; the hospital would have realized an average reduction in health care expenditure equal to −0.69% (−€ 483,787.92) and an organizational saving in terms of length of stay equal to −1.10% (−898 days), thus allowing 95 additional procedures.

Conclusion

The implementation of a portable device for NPWT would represent an effective and sustainable strategy for reducing the management costs of patients. Economic and organizational savings could be reinvested, thus i) treating a wider population and ii) reducing waiting lists, with a higher effectiveness in terms of a decrease in complications.

HIV Clinical Pathway: A New Approach to Combine Guidelines and Sustainability of Anti-Retroviral Treatment in Italy

The present article describes the case study of a “real world” HIV practice within the debate concerning the strategic role of Clinical Governance (CG) tools in the management of a National Healthcare System’s sustainability. The study aimed at assessing the impact of a Clinical Pathway (CP) implementation, required by the Regional Healthcare Service, in terms of effectiveness (virological and immunological conditions) and efficiency (economic resources absorption), from the budget holder perspective. Data derived from a multi-centre cohort of patients treated in 6 Hospitals that provided care to approximately 42% of the total HIV+ patients, in Lombardy Region, Italy. Two phases were compared: Pre-CP (2009–2010) vs. Post-CP implementation (2011–2012). All HIV infected adults, observed in the participating hospitals during the study periods, were enrolled and stratified into the 3 categories defined by the Regional CP: first-line, switch for toxicity/other, and switch for failure. The study population was composed of 1,284 patients (Pre-CP phase) and 1,135 patients (Post-CP phase). The results showed that the same level of virological and immunological effectiveness was guaranteed to HIV+ patients: 81.2% of Pre-CP phase population and 83.2% of Post-CP phase population had undetectable HIV-RNA (defined as <50 copies/mL) at 12-month follow up. CD4⁺ cell counts increased by 28 ± 4 cells/mm³ in Pre-CP Phase and 39 ± 5 cells/mm³ in Post-CP Phase. From an economic point of view, the CP implementation led to a substantial advantage: the mean total costs related to the management of the HIV disease (ART, hospital admission and laboratory tests) decreased (-8.60%) in the Post-CP phase (p-value < 0.0001). Results confirmed that the CP provided appropriateness and quality of care, with a cost reduction for the budget holder.

HCV novel therapeutic regimens in Wonderland: A budget impact analysis in the Lombardy Region

BACKGROUND

The advent of new HCV drugs has generated widespread economic concerns, particularly within the Italian setting, characterized by continuous linear cuts and spending review actions. The overall trade-off between investments and savings needs an in depth analysis.

AIMS

The study aimed to estimate the budget impact of the introduction of the novel drugs approved during the year 2015, compared with the historical situation based on the different treatment options available prior to 2015.

METHODS

A three-year budget impact model was developed, taking into consideration the Lombardy Region (Northern Italy) Health Service perspective. The degree of liver fibrosis, genotypes, presence of only HCV or HIV/HCV co-infections, presence or absence of sustained virological response, and direct healthcare total costs were the variables of the model.

RESULTS

With the introduction of the novel regimens, a higher number of HCV patients achieved a sustained virological response (+20%). Further analysis showed that an investment in innovative technologies would have given the Regional System significant economic savings within the 36-month period (-6.64%/-7.15%).

CONCLUSIONS

Treating HCV-infected persons in the Lombardy Region with the new drugs would reduce healthcare expenditure on this specific disease, in each forecast implemented, thus reducing the economic burden of the pathology.

Clinical Features, Short-Term Mortality, and Prognostic Risk Factors of Septic Patients Admitted to Internal Medicine Units: Results of an Italian Multicenter Prospective Study

Only a few studies provided data on the clinical history of sepsis within internal Medicine units. The aim of the study was to assess the short-term mortality and to evaluate the prognostic risk factors in a large cohort of septic patients treated in internal medicine units. Thirty-one internal medicine units participated to the study. Within each participating unit, all admitted patients were screened for the presence of sepsis. A total of 533 patients were included; 78 patients (14.6%, 95%CI 11.9, 18.0%) died during hospitalization; mortality rate was 5.5% (95% CI 3.1, 9.6%) in patients with nonsevere sepsis and 20.1% (95%CI 16.2, 28.8%) in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Severe sepsis or septic shock (OR 4.41, 95%CI 1.93, 10.05), immune system weakening (OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.12, 3.94), active solid cancer (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.16, 3.94), and age (OR 1.03 per year, 95% CI 1.01, 1.06) were significantly associated with an increased mortality risk, whereas blood culture positive for Escherichia coli was significantly associated with a reduced mortality risk (OR 0.46, 95%CI 0.24, 0.88). In-hospital mortality of septic patients treated in internal medicine units appeared similar to the mortality rate obtained in recent studies conducted in the ICU setting.

Health technology assessment in the HIV setting: the case of monotherapy

Despite the success of multiple-drug therapy regimens, the idea of treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with fewer drugs is captivating due to issues of convenience, long-term toxicities and costs. This study investigated the impact on a local health budget of the introduction of a protease inhibitor (PI)-based antiretroviral monotherapy. An analysis of 23,721 administrative records of HIV-infected patients and a health technology assessment (HTA) were performed to assess cost-effectiveness, budget, organizational, ethics, and equity impact. Data showed that monotherapy had a annual cost of € 7,076 (patient with undetectable viral load) and € 7,860 (patient with detectable viral load), and that its implementation would realise economic savings of between 12 and 24 million euro (between 4.80% and 9.72% of the 2010 total regional budget expenditure for HIV management) in the first year, with cumulated savings of between 48 and 145 million euro over the following five years. Organizational, ethical and equity impact did not indicate any significant differences. The study suggests that for specific categories of patients monotherapy may be an alternative to existing therapies. Its implementation would not result in higher operating costs, and would lead to a reduction in total expenditure.