Table 3.
Opportunity cost results of the 10 bed‐days used for patient P1 for decision makers aiming to maximise health
| Patient(s) | P1 (n = 1) | P2 (n = 2 forgone) | P3 (n = 2 forgone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expenditure (£ in total) | 7,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Benefit (GMB, £ in total) | 26,000 | 24,000 | 16,000 |
| NMB (benefit‐expenditure, £ in total) | 19,000 | 14,000 | 6,000 |
| Expenditure + highest NMB forgone | 21,000 | 29,000 | 29,000 |
Note. GMB = gross monetary benefit, NMB = net monetary benefit, QALY = quality‐adjusted life year.
Based on the highest (net) benefit expressed either monetarily or in QALYs, patient P1 is the optimally chosen patient i, patient P2 is the second‐best patient j, and patient P3 is the third‐best patient. Figures in bold correspond to approaches (and values) covered in the overview table.