Make economics your friend

Abstract

In this essay I define the discipline of economics and say why it's useful. I review methods for measuring economic outcomes relevant to those working to prevent infections, and review how decision-makers should use the information to help choose the best among competing programmes. I finish by arguing that good economics can improve the amount of health gained from an infection prevention service working under conditions of scarce resources.

Bed-days and costs associated with the inpatient burden of healthcare-associated infection in the UK

“…Since the 1990s there have been significant changes in the age and frailty of the hospital population, complexity of treatments, use of invasive devices, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and targeted IPC measures, all of which have affected the incidence and impact of HAI. Accurate and current information is needed to optimize decision-making when selecting between competing IPC programmes to ensure the most efficient programmes are implemented [10,11].…”

The cost-effectiveness of temporary single-patient rooms to reduce risks of healthcare-associated infection

“…Discussion Not all strategies to reduce risk of HAI can be fully and simultaneously prosecuted among busy clinical teams (55). There is a need to identify infection control activities that deliver the largest health return per dollar invested (22) and this usefully informed by cost-effectiveness studies.…”

“…There is a need to identify infection control activities that deliver the largest health return per dollar invested (22) and this usefully informed by cost-effectiveness studies. An essay on the role of economic evaluation regarding HAI is available (24) and covers the topics of why the discipline of economics is useful for infection control professionals, how measures of economic outcomes should be achieved, how decision-makers should use the results of economic evaluation studies, and importantly, an argument is made that good economics can improve the amount of health gained from an infection prevention service working under conditions of scarce resources. A range of narrative and systematic reviews have been done on the economics of competing infection prevention interventions (56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65) These findings reported here provide some evidence that the adoption of single portable isolation rooms by the NHS will be a cost-effective decision.…”

“…If scarce resources are used for interventions that are not cost-effective it is likely that other interventions, that are better value for money, are displaced. This situation must necessarily reduce total health outcomes and quality of care for a hospital's population of patients (24).…”

Economic Evaluation of Long-Term Survivorship Care for Cancer Patients in OECD Countries: A Systematic Review for Decision-Makers

“…Improved treatment has accelerated progress against cancer and has driven a record drop in overall cancer mortality, leaving healthcare decision-makers to face multiple challenges [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Firstly, the current healthcare environment is characterized by finite budgets and high expectations of good health outcomes, where healthcare decision-makers are required to balance non-increasing budgets with an increased demand for services [ 6 ]. This is a challenge for decision-makers who find themselves with an increased number of cancer survivors who require ongoing, long-term support services.…”