Pedometer-Based Web Intervention for COPD Yields Big Savings

A new article in the AJMC investigated the cost-benefits of a web-based intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The intervention used a pedometer linked to a web app to track the physical activity of COPD patients and encourage them in the process. An economic evaluation of the intervention over 12 months showed substantial savings in health care costs.

According to the authors, “In the deterministic (base case) model, the model estimated costs to be $4236 per participant who used the pedometer-based, web-mediated intervention compared with $7913 per participant in the control group (estimated $3677 saved in 1 year compared with the control group). The model findings were robust to probabilistic sensitivity analysis, with a difference in mean costs of $4582 (95% probability interval, $4084-$5080; P < .001). Cost savings in the model were driven by the adjusted relative risk of the web-based intervention, probability of a COPD-related acute exacerbation, rate of hospitalization, probability of hospitalization, and cost of hospitalization.”

To read more, click here.

(Source: AJMC, September 13^th, 2022)