Objectives
With increasing surgical waiting lists due to COVID-19, there is a need to consider alternative healthcare delivery models to enhance efficiency, improve outcomes and increase hospital capacity. This analysis aims to estimate the budget impact of using XprESS to treat sinus and eustachian tube dysfunction in Spain in different care settings. Additionally, the impact of using XprESS on hospital capacity (i.e., number of bed days and operating room (OR) hours required) was assessed.
Methods
A health economic model was developed capturing the care pathway for public sector (i.e., OR use, surgical intervention, recovery). Four different scenarios were compared versus current care delivery: (i) XprESS with local anesthesia, surgery in OR, recovery inpatient; (ii) XprESS with general anesthesia, surgery in OR, recovery outpatient; (iii) XprESS with local anesthesia, surgery in OR, recovery outpatient; (iv) XprESS with local anesthesia, surgery in office setting, recovery outpatient. Current care was defined as intervention with burs, general anesthesia, surgery in OR, and recovery inpatient. Model inputs on costs, number of bed days and OR hours were obtained from publicly available sources in Spain.
Results
The costs of current care delivery per patient was €3,474. Costs with the use of XprESS were estimated at €3,742, €2,721, €2,674, and €2,434 in scenario i, ii, iii, iv, respectively. For every 100 patients, the number of bed days and OR hours required with current inpatient care delivery was estimated at 300 and 143; with the use of XprESS this would decrease to 200 and 95, respectively. When XprESS would be used in outpatient office setting, no bed days and OR hours would be required.
Conclusions
Results from this modeling analysis suggest that in Spain, the use of XprESS to treat sinus and eustachian tube dysfunction derives a positive impact on the public care pathway, potentially resulting in cost-savings and increased hospital capacity.