Evaluating health-related quality of life: Cost comparison of computerizedtouch-screen technology and traditional paper systems

We estimated and compared the costs for three different methods of administ ering and evaluating the Short Form-36 as a routine part of clinical practi ce from the provider perspective. In an outpatient pain management practice , we assessed a computer touch-screen system with facsimile and scanning sc oring methods. Equipment, supply, and labor costs needed to construct, main tain, and generate reports for each system were measured. The annual fixed, variable, and total costs/survey were calculated. Sensitivity analyses wer e performed varying the number of surveys administered/year. The facsimile method was the least costly, $9.62 and $5.88/survey, at annual questionnair e volumes of 250 and 1000, respectively. When the annual survey volume incr eased to 1250 (5 surveys/day), the costs of the facsimile ($5.63/survey) an d computer touch-screen ($5.65/survey) methods were nearly equivalent per s urvey administration. At volumes of 1500 and above, the least costly method was the computer touch screen at $5.47/survey. The system implemented in a clinical practice is dependent not only on questionnaire volume but also o n personnel availability, equipment access, required speed of results, and the acceptable level of data error.