Anna Glenngård

Choice of primary care provider: Results from a population survey in three Swedish counties.

Recent reforms in Swedish primary care have involved choice of provider for the population combined with freedom of establishment and privatisation of providers. This study focus to what extent individuals feel they have exercised a choice of provider, why they exercise choice and where they search for information, based on a population survey in three Swedish counties. The design of the study enabled for studying behaviour with respect to differences in time since introduction of the reform and differences in number of alternative providers and establishments of new providers in connection with the reform. About 60% of the population in the three counties felt that they had made a choice of provider in connection with or after the introduction of a reform focusing on choice and privatisation. Establishments of new providers and having enough information increased the likelihood whereas preferences for direct access to a specialist decreased the likelihood of making a choice. The data further suggests that individuals were rather passive in their search for information and tended to choose providers that they previously had been in contact with. This is in line with results from previous studies and poses challenges for county councils governance of reforms.

Costs associated with sharps injuries in the Swedish health care setting and potential cost savings from needle-stick prevention devices with needle and syringe.

The number and costs associated with reported sharps injuries in Swedish hospitals and the potential cost offset by introducing safety devices with needle and syringe was estimated from a health care perspective. Data about reported sharps injuries were collected from infection control nurses at 18 Swedish hospitals and information about the procedures following such injuries from doctors at Swedish hospitals and published articles. Unit costs were derived from the Southern Regional Health Care Board, SEK 2007. On average, 3.14 injuries per 100 full-time equivalent positions are reported annually in Swedish health care. Approximately 60% involves hollow-bore needles. The cost of occupational sharps injuries in Sweden was estimated at €1.8 million (SEK 16.3 million) or €272 (SEK 2513) per reported injury, of which €1 million was for hollow-bore sharps injuries. The expected number of injuries that could be avoided by introducing safety devices was estimated at 3125 injuries and the corresponding expected cost offset at €850,000. Most costs are associated with investigation as opposed to treatment. The cost per reported injury in Sweden seems to be lower than in other EU countries and the US, due to more thorough investigation and treatment procedures in countries with confirmed transmission of pathogens to healthcare workers.

Patient preferences and willingness-to-pay for ADHD treatment with stimulants using discrete choice experiment (DCE) in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Abstract Background: The choice between different attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications depends on different drug attributes. Economic evaluations of drugs often disregard the utility of other attributes compare with the drugs’ efficacy. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess patients preferences and elicit willingness-to-pay (WTP) for different drug attributes in the treatment of ADHD. Methods: 285 patients (117 parents for children below 15 years, 52 adolescents 15–17 years and 116 adults aged 18 years and above) from Sweden, Denmark and Norway completed a questionnaire concerning their ADHD drug treatment, and answered questions on their preferences using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Included attributes were effectiveness, side-effects, dosing and price. Results: Effectiveness was the most important attribute, followed by side-effects and the number of dosings per day (all P < 0.001). The estimated monthly WTP for a drug generating full effectiveness, no side-effects and once-daily dosing was €790 for adolescents and €360 for adults. The estimated WTP for ADHD drugs with characteristics similar to existing drugs on the market was higher or in line with market prices (€37–180 for adolescents and €16–80 for adults). Regarding experience with current treatment, 19% of all patients in the study reported good functioning during the morning, day and evening. Conclusions: The gap between the monetary valuation of existing products and an optimally valued product suggest that there is room for improvements in the clinical management of ADHD. The results suggest that DCE is a method that can be used to value not only hypothetical scenarios but also can be used to value and distinguish between real-life scenarios.

The cost-effectiveness of treatment with erythropoietin compared to red blood cell transfusions for patients with chemotherapy induced anaemia: a Markov model.

Background. Anaemia is a common complication of chemotherapy. As anaemia can lead to e.g. fatigue, depression, social isolation and chest pain it diminishes physical capacity and quality of life. It is generally accepted that symptomatic anaemia should be corrected. Treatment options include red blood cell transfusion (RBCT), erythropoietin (EPO) administration or a combination of both. Objective. The objective of this study was to carry out a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment with EPO (epoetin alfa), compared to treatment with RBCT for patients with chemotherapy-induced anaemia in Sweden from a health care perspective. Method. A model was developed for estimating incremental costs and QALY gains associated with EPO treatment compared to treatment with RBCTs, based on a model commissioned by the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and adjusted to reflect Swedish treatment practice. Data regarding patient characteristics, response rates, and RBCT was derived from a Swedish observational study of EPO treatment in cancer patients with chemotherapy related anaemia. Swedish guidelines and unit costs were used throughout the study. A systematic review of EPO for treatment of anaemia associated with cancer was used to estimate QALY gains associated with changes in Hb-concentrations in our model. Results. The models results validate well to real world data from three major hospitals in Sweden. The cost per QALY gained from administration of EPO was estimated at EUR 24 700 in the base case analysis. Practicing an EPO treatment target Hb-level of 12 g/dl yields a cost per QALY about 40% lower than practicing a Hb-target level of 13 g/dl, which is in agreement with updated recommendations of using a 12 g/dl target. Conclusion. The estimated cost per QALY falls well within the range acceptable in Sweden when practicing a Hb-target level of 12 g/dl. The incremental cost of elevating Hb-levels above 13 g/dl is very high in relation to the incremental QALY gain achieved.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment with epoietin-alpha for patients with anaemia due to renal failure: The case of Sweden.

Objective. Anaemia is a common complication of renal failure. It can be treated with erythropoietin (EPO) administration, red blood cell transfusion (RBCT), or a combination of both. EPO has been registered for the treatment of renal anaemia in Sweden since the beginning of the 1990s, and is the primary treatment regimen for anaemia related to renal failure. The objective of this study was to carry out a cost-effectiveness analysis from a provider perspective of a treatment strategy comprising EPO and complementary RBCT compared to the traditional treatment of RBCT alone for patients with anaemia associated with renal failure in Sweden. Material and methods. Incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) associated with EPO (epoietin-α) treatment compared to the traditional therapy of RBCT were estimated. The QALY gains were estimated using a modified version of a Markov model, which is used by the UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence in their evaluations of EPO treatment in the UK. Swedish treatment practice (i.e. EPO doses and iron supplementation), patient characteristics and unit costs were used throughout the study. Results. The estimated cost per QALY gained from administration of EPO to renal patients falls within the range acceptable in Sweden for both haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. Conclusions. EPO administration to renal patients is much more costly in Sweden than in the UK, primarily due to the higher dosage of EPO and iron supplementation used in Sweden. However, Swedish patients reach higher haemoglobin levels, and thereby achieve higher QALY gains, compared to patients in the UK.

Vaccination: short- to long-term benefits from investment.

In the context of current economic difficulties across Europe, accurate budgeting and resource allocation have become increasingly important. Vaccination programmes can respond to the needs of governments to budget with confidence. It may be more reliable and accurate to forecast budget and resource allocation for a vaccination programme than for unpredictable seasonal disease peaks of infections such as rotavirus gastroenteritis, influenza, and pneumonia. In addition, prevention through vaccination involves low levels of investment relative to the substantial benefits that may be obtained. In France, total lifelong vaccination costs, per fully compliant individual, ranged from €865 to €3,313, covering 12 to 16 diseases, which is comparable to, or lower than, costs of other preventive measures. In addition, effectively implemented vaccination programmes have the potential to generate substantial savings both in the short and in the long term. For example, vaccination programmes for rotavirus, meningitis C, human papillomavirus, influenza, and pneumonia have all been shown to significantly reduce the disease burden, and thus the associated costs, in the first years following vaccination implementation. These programmes demonstrate the potential for health authorities to obtain early, and often substantial, return on investment.

Productivity and patient satisfaction in primary care—Conflicting or compatible goals?

Following recent reforms in Swedish primary care, providers are accountable to both citizens and county councils, in their role as payers. Productivity and quality measurement is fundamental for ensuring health care providers accountability to payers and that resources are spent as intended. The purpose was to study productivity and patient satisfaction in Swedish primary care. One measure of productivity capturing volume of visits and one measure capturing individuals judgment about the quality of services in relation to allocated resources was estimated. The potential conflict between the two measures and variation with respect to different factors was analyzed. There was a great variation in both measures of productivity. No conflict between the two measures of productivity was found. Thus, most providers could increase their volume of services without adverse effects for the quality and vice versa. Providers are however faced with different conditions. Traditional productivity measures are not enough to assess whether allocated resources are used according to set priorities and generates value for money. Information about the length and content of visits and the distribution of services produced is also needed, in particular to assess if resources allocated based on expected great needs among certain groups actually benefits those individuals. Effects of services produced are also needed. This is particularly important to assess if resources allocated based on expected great needs among certain groups actually benefits those individuals.

Process measures or patient reported experience measures (PREMs) for comparing performance across providers? : A study of measures related to access and continuity in Swedish primary care

Aim To study (a) the covariation between patient reported experience measures (PREMs) and registered process measures of access and continuity when ranking providers in a primary care setting, and (b) whether registered process measures or PREMs provided more or less information about potential linkages between levels of access and continuity and explaining variables. BACKGROUND Access and continuity are important objectives in primary care. They can be measured through registered process measures or PREMs. These measures do not necessarily converge in terms of outcomes. Patient views are affected by factors not necessarily reflecting quality of services. Results from surveys are often uncertain due to low response rates, particularly in vulnerable groups. The quality of process measures, on the other hand, may be influenced by registration practices and are often more easy to manipulate. With increased transparency and use of quality measures for management and governance purposes, knowledge about the pros and cons of using different measures to assess the performance across providers are important. METHODS Four regression models were developed with registered process measures and PREMs of access and continuity as dependent variables. Independent variables were characteristics of providers as well as geographical location and degree of competition facing providers. Data were taken from two large Swedish county councils. Findings Although ranking of providers is sensitive to the measure used, the results suggest that providers performing well with respect to one measure also tended to perform well with respect to the other. As process measures are easier and quicker to collect they may be looked upon as the preferred option. PREMs were better than process measures when exploring factors that contributed to variation in performance across providers in our study; however, if the purpose of comparison is continuous learning and development of services, a combination of PREMs and registered measures may be the preferred option. Above all, our findings points towards the importance of a pre-analysis of the measures in use; to explore the pros and cons if measures are used for different purposes before they are put into practice.

Does increased standardisation in health care mean less responsiveness towards individual patients expectations?: A register based study in Swedish primary care

Objective: We explore whether standardisation in health care based on evidence on group level and a public health perspective is in conflict with responsiveness towards individual patient’s expectations in Swedish primary care. Methods: Using regression analysis, we study the association between patient views about providers’ responsiveness and indicators reflecting provider’s adherence to evidence-based guidelines, controlled for characteristics related to providers, including patient mix and degree of competition facing providers. Data were taken from two Swedish regions in years 2012 and 2013. Results: Patients’ views about responsiveness are positively correlated with variables reflecting provider’s adherence to evidence-based guidelines regarding treatment of elderly and risk groups, drug reviews and prescription of antibiotics. A high overall illness, private ownership and a high proportion of all visits being with a doctor are positively associated with patient views about responsiveness. The opposite relation was found for a high social deprivation among enrolled individuals and size of practice. There was no systematic variation with respect to the degree of competition facing providers. Conclusion: Results suggest that responsiveness towards individual patient expectations is compatible with increased standardisation in health care. This is encouraging for health care providers as they are challenged to balance increased demands from both patients and payers.