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Unit Costs in Health Economic Evaluations: Quo Vadis, Austria?

Author

Listed:
  • Susanne Mayer

    (Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Agata Łaszewska

    (Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria)

  • Judit Simon

    (Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090 Vienna, Austria
    Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK)

Abstract

Evidence-informed healthcare decision-making relies on high quality data inputs, including robust unit costs, which in many countries are not readily available. The objective of the Department of Health Economics’ Unit Cost Online Database, developed based on systematic reviews of Austrian costing studies, is to make conducting economic evaluations from healthcare and societal perspectives more feasible with publicly available unit cost information in Austria. This article aims to describe trends in unit cost data sources and reporting using this comprehensive database as a case study to encourage relevant national and international methodological discussions. Database analysis and synthesis included publication/study characteristics and costing reporting details in line with the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS 2022) with the year of the database launch as the cut-off point to assess how the methods have developed over time. Forty-two full economic evaluations and 278 unit costs were analyzed (2004–2016: 34 studies/232 unit costs, 2017–2022: 8 studies/46 unit costs). Although the reporting quality of costing details including the study perspective, unit cost sources and years has improved since 2017, the unit cost estimates and sources remained heterogeneous in Austria. While methodologically standardized national-level unit costs would be the gold standard, a systematically collated list of unit costs is a first step towards supporting health economic evaluations nationally.

Suggested Citation

  • Susanne Mayer & Agata Łaszewska & Judit Simon, 2022. "Unit Costs in Health Economic Evaluations: Quo Vadis, Austria?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:117-:d:1010970
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Don Husereau & Michael Drummond & Federico Augustovski & Esther Bekker-Grob & Andrew H. Briggs & Chris Carswell & Lisa Caulley & Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk & Dan Greenberg & Elizabeth Loder & Josephine Ma, 2022. "Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 (CHEERS 2022) Statement: Updated Reporting Guidance for Health Economic Evaluations," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 40(6), pages 601-609, June.
    2. Susanne Mayer & Noemi Kiss & Agata Łaszewska & Judit Simon, 2017. "Costing evidence for health care decision-making in Austria: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-18, August.
    3. J. Pöhlmann & K. Norrbacka & K. S. Boye & W. J. Valentine & H. Sapin, 2020. "Costs and where to find them: identifying unit costs for health economic evaluations of diabetes in France, Germany and Italy," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 21(8), pages 1179-1196, November.
    4. Susanne Mayer & Michael Berger & Alexander Konnopka & Valentin Brodszky & Silvia M. A. A. Evers & Leona Hakkaart-van Roijen & Mencia R. Guitérrez-Colosia & Luis Salvador-Carulla & A-La Park & William , 2022. "In Search for Comparability: The PECUNIA Reference Unit Costs for Health and Social Care Services in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-15, March.
    5. Irina Pokhilenko & Luca M. M. Janssen & Mickael Hiligsmann & Silvia M. A. A. Evers & Ruben M. W. A. Drost & Aggie T. G. Paulus & Leonarda G. M. Bremmers, 2021. "The Relative Importance of Education and Criminal Justice Costs and Benefits in Economic Evaluations: A Best–Worst Scaling Experiment," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 99-108, January.
    6. Susanne Mayer & Aggie T. G. Paulus & Agata Łaszewska & Judit Simon & Ruben M. W. A. Drost & Dirk Ruwaard & Silvia M. A. A. Evers, 2017. "Health-Related Resource-Use Measurement Instruments for Intersectoral Costs and Benefits in the Education and Criminal Justice Sectors," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 35(9), pages 895-908, September.
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