Costs of care for irritable bowel syndrome patients in a health maintenance organization

Citation
Rl. Levy et al., Costs of care for irritable bowel syndrome patients in a health maintenance organization, AM J GASTRO, 96(11), 2001, pp. 3122-3129
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Gastroenerology and Hepatology
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
ISSN journal
00029270 → ACNP
Volume
96
Issue
11
Year of publication
2001
Pages
3122 - 3129
Database
ISI
SICI code
0002-9270(200111)96:11<3122:COCFIB>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were: 1) to determine the total costs of care and costs related to lower GI-related problems for patients who recei ved a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and 2) to compare them t o age- and sex-matched population controls and patients treated for inflamm atory bowel disease (IBD) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: Use and cost data were obtained through the computerized informati on systems of a large staff-model health maintenance organization on three groups of patients diagnosed in 1994 or 1995 with 113S, IBD, or GERD; and a n C, age- and sex-matched control group of patients without any Zn of these listed diagnoses. The IBS patient group was compared to the three comparis on groups on components of total and IBS-related costs. RESULTS: Total costs of care for IBS patients were 49% higher than populati on controls during the year starting with the visit at which IBS patients w ere identified. In the index year, every component of total costs except in patient care was significantly higher for IBS patients than for population controls. The costs of care for lower GI problems were significantly higher for patients with IBS than for population controls across a range of servi ces. However, only 33% of the difference in total costs of care between IBS patients and population controls was due to lower GI-related services in t he index year. In the subsequent years, lower GI-related services accounted for 18% and 20% of the total cost difference between IBS patients and popu lation controls. The total costs of care as well as the components of costs of care were generally higher for IBD patients than for IBS patients, but were comparable for GERD and IBS patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IBS show sustained increases in health care cost s relative to population controls for both lower GI services and care unrel ated to lower GI problems. However, the majority of the excess in health ca re costs resulted from medical care not directly related to lower GI proble ms. (C) 2001 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology.