What Researchers Did
Researchers developed a decision model to estimate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) in a 65-year-old Canadian cohort.
What They Found
Over 12 years, HBOT cost CND$40,695 with 3.64 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), compared to CND$49,786 and 3.01 QALYs for standard care alone. Treating all prevalent DFU cases in Canada would cost CND$14.4-19.7 million/year over four years, requiring an additional nineteen to thirty-five HBOT machines nationally.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with diabetic foot ulcers could potentially benefit from adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy, as it was found to be more cost-effective than standard care. This could lead to improved health outcomes, such as fewer amputations and a better quality of life, if the therapy is widely adopted.
Canadian Relevance
This study is highly relevant to Canada as it was conducted as part of a Canadian assessment, utilizing Canadian prevalence, cost, and utilization data from government records. The findings directly address the budget impact and capacity needs for HBOT adoption within the Canadian healthcare system.
Study Limitations
The study's findings are based on a decision model that relies on efficacy data from a literature review and specific assumptions about a 65-year-old cohort, which may limit generalizability.