Costing analysis of a digital first-line treatment platform for patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis in Sweden

• Osteoarthritis (OA) constitutes a major and increasing burden on patients, health care systems and the broader society. It is estimated that around a quarter of the adult population is affected by OA in the knee and hip and that the prevalence of OA will increase over the coming decades largely due to aging and adverse life-style factors. Prevention and effective care are critical to manage the challenges posed by OA. Digital technologies offer opportunities to deliver cost-effective care for chronic diseases, including for OA. We report the results of a costing analysis of a new digital platform for delivering first-line care including disease information and physiotherapy to patients with OA and compare this with an existing face-to-face model of treatment. Both models are in accordance with National Treatment Guidelines in Sweden. The results show that overall the digital model costs around 25% of the existing face-to-face model of care. Based on existing evidence on the effects of these models, our findings also suggest that the digital platform offers a cost-effective alternative to the existing model of OA care. Depending on the extent to which the digital model substitutes for the existing model of care, significant resources can be saved.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Ortopedi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Orthopaedics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Aged

Cost-Benefit Analysis/economics

Exercise Therapy

Female

Humans

Knee Joint/physiopathology

Male

Middle Aged

Osteoarthritis, Hip/economics

Osteoarthritis, Knee/economics

Sweden/epidemiology

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)