This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Multidisciplinary care more cost-effective for patients with chronic kidney disease
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Medicare-funded multidisciplinary care programs in the United States could reduce the need for dialysis, prolong life expectancy and be more cost-effective for patients with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease, according to a study published in PLoS Medicine.
A related press release reported that, “Multidisciplinary care ... has been shown to reduce mortality and the incidence of end-stage renal disease in patients with CKD, but the cost-effectiveness of such programs remains unclear.” Therefore, in the current study, researchers estimated the cost-effectiveness of a theoretical Medicare-based multidisciplinary care program for patients with stage 3 and 4 CKD using a modeling approach. The theoretical care program included nephrologists, advanced practitioners, educators, dietitians, and social workers.
According to the study, CKD affects approximately 10% of Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S. but accounts for a disproportionate 20% of expenditures. Individuals with end-stage renal disease represent 1.6% of Medicare beneficiaries and is responsible for 7.2% of cost. Further, life expectancy is substantially lower in patients with chronic kidney disease than in the general population.
The researchers estimated from Medicare claims data and data from published literature that multidisciplinary care meets conventional cost-effectiveness thresholds in patients aged 45 to 84 years with mild to moderate CKD, adding 0.23 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over usual care, with a cost of $51,285 per QALY gained.
Researchers noted that the proposed program is theoretical and may not generalize to populations at low risk for progression to end stage renal disease.
Disclosure : This work was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health. Lin reports support by NIDDK F3DK107123. Please see the full study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts