⚡ Quick Summary
This study conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing a digital monitoring solution for hypothyroidism management against conventional methods. The findings suggest that the digital approach yields an additional 0.65 QALYs at an incremental cost of $11,700.87, resulting in an ICER of $17,988.97 per QALY gained.
🔍 Key Details
- 📊 Cohort Size: 10,000 patients aged 40 with hypothyroidism
- ⚙️ Methodology: Decision-analytic Markov state-transition simulation model
- 💰 Cost Analysis: Costs adjusted to 2022 levels with a 4.5% annual discount rate
- 📈 ICER: $17,988.97 per QALY gained
🔑 Key Takeaways
- 💡 Digital monitoring shows promise in enhancing hypothyroidism management.
- 📈 Incremental cost-effectiveness supports the adoption of digital solutions.
- 🌟 99% probability of being the optimal strategy against a willingness-to-pay threshold of $32,255/QALY.
- 🔍 Sensitivity analysis indicates that the annual cost of digital monitoring is crucial for cost-effectiveness.
- 🏥 Real-world application requires balancing cost, precision, and effectiveness.
📚 Background
Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder that can significantly impact quality of life. Traditional management approaches often lack the integration of real-time monitoring, which can lead to suboptimal treatment outcomes. The advent of wearable technology presents an opportunity to enhance patient management by continuously monitoring thyroid function alongside other health metrics such as heart rate and exercise levels.
🗒️ Study
The study utilized a decision-analytic Markov state-transition simulation model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a digital monitoring solution for hypothyroidism. A simulated cohort of 10,000 patients aged 40 was analyzed to estimate both costs and health outcomes, providing a comprehensive view of the potential benefits of digital management.
📈 Results
The results indicated that the digital monitoring solution resulted in an additional 0.65 QALYs at an incremental cost of $11,700.87. This led to an ICER of $17,988.97 per QALY gained, suggesting that the digital approach is a cost-effective alternative to conventional management. The analysis showed that the digital solution was likely to be the optimal strategy in 99% of iterations against the specified willingness-to-pay threshold.
🌍 Impact and Implications
The findings from this study have significant implications for the management of hypothyroidism. By integrating digital monitoring solutions, healthcare providers can potentially improve patient outcomes while also optimizing costs. This approach not only enhances the precision of hormonal level monitoring but also aligns with the growing trend towards personalized medicine, where treatment is tailored to individual patient needs.
🔮 Conclusion
This study highlights the positive cost-effectiveness of incorporating digital monitoring solutions in the management of hypothyroidism. As healthcare continues to evolve with technology, striking a balance between cost, precision, and effectiveness will be essential for real-world clinical practice. Further research and implementation of such technologies could pave the way for improved patient care and outcomes in endocrinology.
💬 Your comments
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Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Conventional and Digital Software Supported Management for Hypothyroidism.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Wearable devices can now leverage the established correlation between thyroid function and heart rate to monitor thyroid function alongside exercise levels and heart rate. The objective was to assess the cost-effectiveness of introducing a wearable/mobile-based thyroid function digital monitoring solution for the management of hypothyroidism compared to the conventional management approach.
METHODS: A decision-analytic Markov state-transition simulation model employed for utilizing a simulated cohort of 10,000 40-year-old patients with hypothyroidism to estimate costs and health outcomes. Cost-effectiveness from the healthcare sector perspective was evaluated using a 4.5% annual discount rate and the costs adjusted to 2022 levels, and lifetime outcomes were presented through incremental cost-effectiveness 49 ratios (ICERs). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses evaluated the robustness of the results.
RESULTS: The digital monitoring solution supported group yielded an additional 0.65 QALYs with an incremental cost of $11700.87, resulting in an ICER value of $17988.97 per QALY gained. Digital-powered software could be an optimal strategy in 99% of iterations against willingness-to-pay thresholds of $32,255/QALY gained. The ICER was most sensitive to the annual cost of a digital monitoring solution for hypothyroidism.
CONCLUSION: The incorporation of the digital monitoring solution has demonstrated positive cost-effectiveness in hypothyroidism management when compared to the standard care. The cost of the digital monitoring solution and its sensitivity are key factors in determining cost-effectiveness. Striking a balance among the cost of digital monitoring support, the precision of hormonal level monitoring, and its effectiveness for the specific group of hypothyroid patients in real-world clinical practice is essential.
Author: [‘Kim J’, ‘Shin J’, ‘Kim MS’, ‘Moon JH’]
Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab
Citation: Kim J, et al. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Conventional and Digital Software Supported Management for Hypothyroidism. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Conventional and Digital Software Supported Management for Hypothyroidism. 2024; (unknown volume):(unknown pages). doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgae751