Table 1.
Costs per Participant for Standard/Restored Condition and Interim Methadone Condition in 2010 dollars (N=200)
| Standard/Restored Methadone Condition (up to 12 months) |
Weighted Mean Cost [both sites] (SD) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sites | Mean length of Stay [weeks] (SD) |
Weekly Cost | Mean Cost for Treatment Episode (SD) |
|
| Site 1 (n= 61) | 46 (12) |
$61 | $2,809 (702) |
$3,411 |
| Site 2 (n=50) | 37 (16) |
$111 | $4,144 (1,797) |
(1,307) |
| Interim Methadone Condition |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (i) Interim Methadone (IM) Treatment (up to 4 months) |
(ii) Standard Methadone Treatment (following IM for up to 8 months) |
(i + ii) Costs for Interim Methadone Condition |
||||||
| Sites | Mean Length of Stay [weeks] (SD) |
Weekly Cost * |
Mean Treatment Cost (SD) |
Mean length of Stay (Weeks) |
Weekly Cost |
Mean Treatment Cost (SD) |
Cost for Treatment Episode (SD) |
Weighted Mean Cost [both sites] (SD) |
| Site 1 (n=66) |
171 (3) |
$3.50 | $581 (10) |
271 (12) |
$62 | $1,7021 (756) |
$1,7601 (761) |
$2,052 |
| Site 21 (n=23) |
171 (1) |
$3.50 | $601 (2) |
281 (13) |
$111 | $3,0581 (1,445) |
$3,1171 (1,446) |
(975) |
Note: A treatment episode is defined as the period of time (in weeks) during which the participant was enrolled in methadone treatment.
The cost for methadone treatment episode for the Standard/Restored condition at each site was estimated as the product of the mean length of stay in treatment (in weeks) and the weekly cost of treatment per participant over the 12 months in treatment. The weighted mean cost per participant (for both sites combined) was then estimated through proportional weighting. This was accomplished by multiplying the number of participants at each site × the mean number of weeks in treatment and dividing that product by the sum of the products of the number of participants × the mean number of weeks in treatment at each site.
The cost for methadone treatment episode for the IM condition at each site was estimated as the sum of: mean treatment cost over the 4-month Interim Methadone period and the mean treatment cost over the 8 months while receiving standard methadone treatment (with counseling). The weighted mean cost per participant (for both sites combined) was then estimated through proportional weighting in a manner similar to the approach described above.
The implementation cost for adding a limited number of IM patients to an existing methadone program (as in the present study) if there is no need to operate the clinic for additional hours to accommodate the IM patients.